53rd PRESIDENTIAL CYCLING TOUR OF TURKEY
DİEGO ULISSI FROM THE UAE EMIRATES TEAM TRIUMPHS IN THE 204.1 KM TURKISH AIRLINES MARMARİS - SELÇUK STAGE
DIEGO ULISSI IS ENTITLED TO WEAR THE TURQUOISE JERSEY
THE TOUR CONTINUES TOMORROW WITH 166 KM VESTEL SELÇUK - İZMİR STAGE
Diego Ulissi from the UAE Emirates Team won the 204.1 km Marmaris-Selçuk stage of the 53rd Tour of Turkey with 5hr 36min 03sec.
The single climbing stage of the Tour, the track from Selçuk to the House of Virgin Mary, challenged the riders in this hot autumn day.
All eyes were on Sam Bennett from the Bora Hansgrohe Team who had already won the first three stages and kept the Turquoise Jersey and Mirco Maestri who wore the Red Jersey (King of the Mountains). Everyone was wondering whether these two bikers kept their jerseys. This question was eventually answered at the end of the stage as Sam Bennett lagged behind in the competition during the climbing phase, leaving Dieo Ulissi the new bearer of the Turquoise Jersey.
EXCITEMENT OF THE RACE
Kicking off the stage at Atatürk Square in Marmaris at 11.15, cyclists had to climb to 633m right away. 35.5th meter of the stage was the first climbing prime of the day.
TURKISH AIRLINES CLIMBING PRIME (KING OF THE MOUNTAINS)
First one to pass through the prime gate was Danilo Celano from the Caja Rural-Seguros RGA Team, winning 10 points. Rankings in the climbing prime were:
2- Allessandro Tonellı (Bardıanı CSF)
3-Alberto Cecchın (Wılıer Trıestına-Selle Italıa) 4-Davide Ballerını (Andronı-Sıdermec-Bottecchıa) 5-Feritcan Samlı (Turkish National Team)
FANS CHEER FOR THE ATHLETES
Passing by Kızılağaç, fans went on to cheer for the bikers. Meanwhile, the leading group of five cyclists was 3 min 53 sec ahead of the main group. At the 58th km, the main group arrived Akçaova to descend the hill together when some cyclists reached 100 km. The pace of the escape group slowed down in Salihpaşalar where the time difference between the main group declined to 2 min 45 sec.
6 BIKERS IN THE ESCAPE GROUP
At the 72nd km, Ludovic Robeet from the WB Veranclassic Aqality Protect Team literally escaped the main group with an accelerating pace to join the escape group. The new time difference at the 90th km was 2 min 18 sec.
MAIN GROUP CLOSES THE GAP
Cyclists continued to pedal their way to Eskiçine with a slow pace at 30 km/s. The main group pushed the escape group as the bikers speeded up while arriving Çine, eventually decreasing the time difference to 1 min 52 sec at the 105th km.
SALCANO SPRINT PRIME
Çine track was also the Salcanı Sprint prime of the day. First biker to pass through the 113.1st km prime gate was Davide Ballerini from the Androni-Sidermec-Bottecchia Team. Danilo Celano from the Caja Rural-Seguros RGA Team was ranked in the second place and Feritcan Samlı from the Turkish National Team in the third place. The new time difference was 1 min 49 sec.
FERİTCAN WINS THE VESTEL BEAUTIES OF TURKEY PRIME
Just before Aydın entrance, the escape group divided in two as Feritcan Samlı from the Turkish National Team, Davide Ballerini from the Androni-Sidermec-Bottecchia Team and Danilo Celano from the Caja Rural-Seguros RGA Team countered to form the leading group. The remaining three from the escape group were eventually caught by the main group. Feritcan Samlı from the Turkish National Team was the first one to win the Vestel Beauties of Turkey Prime (White Jersey) at the 149th km. From Marmaris to Aydın, fans supported the cyclists by waiving their Turkish flags to boost their spirit.
TIME GAP CLOSES, TWO GROUPS UNITE
Passing İncirliova, the main group picked up the pace and went closer to the escape group. The time gap closed down to 30 seconds and the two groups united, promising the fans a more exciting finish. The finish line was only 39 km away. Sam Bennett from the Bora Hansgrohe Team was pedaling his way to the finish and didn’t seem to be bothered. The main group continued together to the climb phase to the House of Virgin Mary. It was the final section of the stage where the tables would turn.
MIRCO WINS THE SECOND TURKISH AIRLINES PRIME (KING OF THE MOUNTAINS)
As the riders left the 192nd km behind, Mirco Maestri from the Bardiani CSF Team won the second prime of the climbing stage. Danilo Celano from the Caja Rural Seguros RGA Team was ranked in the second place and Alessandro Tonelli from the Bardiani CSF Team in the third place. Down to 5 km to the finish, the group was pedaling together. Leopold König from the Bora Hansgrohe Team and Andrea Vendrame from the Androni Sidermec Bottecchia Team countered to become the leading duo. The group was completed divided in two as the cyclists were only 2 km away from the finish line. Jesper Hansen from Astana joined the leading duo but it was Diego Ulissi from the UAE Emirates Team who won the stage with a brilliant counterattack in the last 300 meters and finished the race at 5 hrs 36 min 03 sec.
PRESIDENT OF THE CYCLING FEDERATION TO PEDAL IN SELÇUK - İZMİR STAGE
Once a legendary sportsman, now the President of Turkish Cycling Federation, Erol Küçükbakırcı, who contributed to the development of cycling in Turkey in his active sport career, will get on his bike during the Selçuk-İzmir stage tomorrow. “Cycling is my lifestyle. I am honored to pedal with the athletes in the Tour, even for a brief moment,” said Mr. Küçükbakırcı.
CYCLISTS TO PASS THROUGH VESTEL PLANT
Honoring a tradition at the Tour of Turkey, riders will pass through the Vestel Plant in Manisa at 125th km of the Selçuk-İzmir stage. On the occasion of Vestel being a sponsor of the Tour of Turkey, plant workers will cheer the cyclists as they pass through the facility to boost their spirit.
THE TOUR ENDS ON SUNDAY WITH İSTANBUL-İSTANBUL STAGE
53rd Tour of Turkey will end on Sunday with Istanbul-Istanbul stage. Following the Selcuk-İstanbul stage tomorrow, cyclists and their gears will be transported from Izmir to Istanbul by planes sponsored by Turkish Airlines.