PRESS RELEASE
10.10.2017
53RD PRESIDENTIAL CYCLING TOUR OF TURKEY KICKED OFF
SAM BENNET FROM BORA HANSGROHE TEAM WON THE 176.7 SPOR-TOTO ALANYA-KEMER STAGE
BENNET WILL BE WEARING THE TURQUOISE JERSEY AT TOMORROW'S TURKISH AIRLINES KUMLUCA-FETHİYE STAGE
The 53rd Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey kicked off with the 176.7 kmAlanya - Kemer stage. Sam Bennet from Bora Hansgroheteam won the stage with 3 hours 57 minutes and 26 seconds.
HEAT OF THE RACE
104 bikers set off with the start signal given by Fahri Kasırga, the General Secretary of Presidency, and Münir Karaloğlu, the Mayor of Antalya, at Alanya Port.
At the 9th kilometre of the stage which was mostly sunny and straight, the first breaking away occurred. The getaway party of six, which included Onur Balkan and Batuhan Özgür from the Turkish National Team, broke away from the main group. Alex Turrin from team Wılıer Trıestine-Selle Italia, Flavio Cardoso Santos from team Soul Brasıl Pro Cyclıng Team, Tonelli Alessandro from team Bardıanı CSF, and Andrey Zeıts from team Astana got 3 minutes and 49 seconds ahead. The party of six, maintained their distance from the main group with an increasing pace. At kilometre 37, the speed of the bikers in the party was measured at 50 km/h.
A BIKER QUITS AT 42ND KM
The getaway party was affected by the peak time of the sun. The distance between them and the main group was lowered to 2 minutes and 10 seconds. At this very moment, Jimmy Duquennoy from team Wb Veranclassıc Aqualıty Protect quit the race. The number of bikers was, thereby, was decreased to 103.
SALCANO SPRİNT PRIME GOES TO ALBANESE RIDER
ALBANESE Vıncenzo from team Bardıanı CSF received the Salcano Spring prime at 92nd km. Second place went to Flavio Cardoso Santos from team Soul Brasıl Pro Cyclıng, while third place went to Alex Turrin from team Wılıer Trıestine-Selle Italia. The party of six lowered their pace and their distance from the main group was lowered to 1 minute and 20 seconds. Just as we thought the main group was about to catch up, the getaway party started to increase its pace and the distance started to slowly grow at 98th km and was recorded as 1 minute and 45 seconds.
VESTEL BEAUTIES OF TURKEY PRIME GOES TO ONUR BALKAN
100th km marked the VestelBeauties of Turkey Prime gate. Onur Balkan from the Turkish National Team was ranked in the first place while Alex Turrin from team Wılıer Trıestine-Bella Italia was placed second and Flavio Cardoso Santos from team Soul Brasıl Pro Cyclingwas placed third place. In the meanwhile, at the get-away party, Batuhan Özgür from the Turkish National Team lowered his pace and the main group caught up with him. At 117th km, the getaway party lowered its pace once again. This time the distance was recorded as 1 minute and 20 seconds. At 129th km, the main group got really close to the getaway party. As Antalya was left behind, the distance was as low as 1 minute. Then the main group increased its pace and reached a speed of 45 km/h. At 138th km, the main group caught up with the getaway party. They were now cycling towards the Kemer finish line as a single group.
SECOND SALCANO SPRINT PRIME GOES TO GAVAZZI
The second Salcano Sprint prime of the stage witnessed a great competition. As the group had merged, cyclists started to demonstrate their sprinting abilities. Francesco Gavazzı from team AndroniSdermecBottecciha was the first to cross the Salcano gate. The second place went to Federıca Zurlo from team UAE Team Emirates.
TURKISH AIRLINES CLIMB PRIME GOES TO BARBIN ENRICO
Enrıco Barbın from team Bardiani CSF won the Turkish Airlines Climb Prime (King of the Mountains) which was the last prime of the Alanya - Kemer stage. The second place went to Michal Paluta from team CCC SprandıPolkowice. The main group entered the final 20 kilometres together. The fact that the athletes from the Turkish National Team led the main group in the last 10 kilometres to the finish line was the highlight of the race.
AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT
As the main group was approaching Kemer, many athletes were injured when a cyclist from team CCC Polkowıce failing to make the turn, fell down at the last kilometres to the finish line. The first athlete to make it to the finish line was Sam Bennet from Bora Hansgrohe. Bennet will be wearing the turquoise jersey at Kumluca - Fethiye stage of tomorrow.
THE 206 KİLOMETRE KUMLUCA-FETHİYE STAGE WILL BE HELD TOMORROW
The 53rd Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey will continue tomorrow with the 206 km Turkish Airlines Kumluca-Fethiye stage.
FEDERATION PRESIDENT KÜÇÜKBAKIRCI CYCLED FOR 40 KILOMETRES
A legendary athlete of Turkish Cycling back in their active sports career, Erol Küçükbakırcı hinted at a return to his former years. Before the Alanya - Kemer stage of the 53rd Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey took its start, he got on a bicycle with the former national cyclist Ahmet Akyürek and cycled for 40 kilometres. Despite his advanced age, the Federation President Küçükbakırcı dominated the 40-kilometre track and proved his superiority to the youth.
SALCANO BECOMES THE ONLY UCI-CERTIFIED BICYCLE BRAND OF TURKEY
Salcano bicycle manufacturer which has been contributing to the Sport of Cycling for many years, broke ground at the 53rd Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey. Bayram Akgül, a member of the Board of Executives at both Salcano and the Cycling Federation, announced that the 22-speed bicycle used by the National Team was manufactured under the approval of UCI (International Union of Cyclists), and was being used in this tour. Akgül also announced that the first bicycle from this line was presented the President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a gift.