The Tour of Turkey will be held from April 21 to 28 and is one of the longest stage races on the calendar and covers a significant part of the country, for which the Ecuadorian Jefferson Cepeda, along with Mark Cavendish and Sam Welsford as stars, is the favorite for the individual general classification.
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA arrives in Turkey with Jefferson Cepeda at the front, going through a good moment of form as evidenced by his recent results in France. The Ecuadorian will lead the team’s aspirations in the overall, although Jokin Murguialday will also have the hardest stages marked.
For the group finishes, depending on the demands, there will be different assets such as Daniel Babor, Iúri Leitão, Tomás Bárta or even David González, who can overcome with the best winding routes. The Scottish Calum Johnston completes a balanced block in the selection.
The first day of racing in Turkey will not be complicated, but the sprinters will have a good chance to win the stage and take the race lead in the city of Antalya.
The second day of racing in Turkey will be tricky, with climbs from start to finish of varying length and gradient. Towards the end we have a long climb and descent, as well as many explosive climbs in between, while the final kilometers to Kas are also undulating and feature a hilltop finish.
Stage 3 from Fethiye to Marmaris is another hilly segment, starting with four steep climbs where a strong group can rally. A day marked by short, steep climbs. It should not be crucial for the general classification, but it can lead to a very interesting race day where many riders can fight for the victory.
Day 4 will start with a climb from the start in Marmaris that sets the tone for the day. In Bodrum, it’s a day that is expected to end in a sprint, but not among all riders, as a few climbs and the uphill crawl to the finish line will limit the amount of riders able to fight for the win.
For the fifth day of racing, from Bodrum to Kusaddasi, it will be another hilly day where many riders can fight for victory and where many scenarios are possible. The day features three climbs at the beginning of the day that will cause fatigue, while the final kilometers also feature some climbs where attacks are expected.
The queen stage will undoubtedly qualify on the sixth day of the race. It will be flat for the most part, but features a long finish at the top of Spil Dagi. The final climb, 14 kilometers at 7%, will create significant differences and will test the race’s best climbers to the limit.
The cyclists are in for a day that should be more relaxed on the penultimate stage of the race. From Cesme to Izmir, the peloton faces its flattest stage to date, and the expected sprint finish of the peloton will take place exactly at sea level.
The race finishes, as is traditional, in Istanbul. It is also always a very interesting stage, mostly flat, but the small explosive climb to the finish line always makes for spectacular racing, aided by the technical aspect of the climb.
Source: www.ciclismoaldia.es