Method for the preparation of a catalyst comprising vanadium pentoxide supported on a metal oxide catalyst carrier comprising the steps of a) providing particles of crystalline vanadium pentoxide and particles of a metal oxide catalyst carrier; b) solid state mixing the particles and dispersing the vanadium pentoxide particles on surface of the metal oxide carrier particles; and c) anchoring the dispersed vanadium pentoxide particles on surface of the metal oxide carrier particles by calcination at a temperature above 500° C., characterized in that sintering of the vanadium pentoxide particles is suppressed by addition of an anti-sintering metal oxide component, such as tungsten trioxide, during the anchoring in step c).