Tour of Turkey 2013 – Overview of the Stages
Translated by Deniz Çağırgan
Previously, we had published the changes made on the route of the 49th edition of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey. This season, before three grand tours that are more demanding than before, we will see the performances of the top guns. Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey was seen to be a tour of sprinters because of the sprint stages of the previous years, but this year squads comprising only sprinters, will not be enough for victory. The teams will have to avoid forming a squad of only sprinters. Of course, there are four stages with sprint profiles, for the teams aiming to win stages. In 2012, the Organisation Committee of the Tour, had decided to make the Tour more demanding than before by adding the Elmalı summit finish for the first time. Now they changed the ”winner of Elmalı will take the overall lead in the Tour” image in minds and eventually increased the contention for the victory.
When the 8-stage route of the Tour’s 2013 edition is observed carefully, this year it is obvious that the teams will need to bring their climbers with them, too. Last season, after Elmalı summit finish (named as “mini Alpe d’Huez” by the foriegn press), the sporting directors of the squads had mentioned they would add their climbers to the teams on 2013. So this year’s route profiles show that this is a quite suitable decision.
A short overview on the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey 2013 stages;
Stage 1: 21st April 2013 Sunday; Alanya-Alanya 126 km: Even with the changes made on the first stage which rises slightly towards the end, this year a pack sprint finish is expected again. Theo Bos, winning the first triumph of the Tour, had captured the overall leader’s Turquise Jersey in 2012. The sprinters’ battle for a pack sprint finish on the first stage, will take place on the first day this year as well.
Stage 2: 22nd April 2013 Monday; Alanya-Antalya 153 km: No changes have been made on the Tour’s second day route. In 2012, Andre Greipel was fascinating with his incredible sprint performance in Antalya finish of this stage. We can say that there’s an expectation of a pack sprint finish on Stage 2 this year, too. The stage will be awaiting its winner, with a wide route which is convenient for a crowded sprint show. The strong sprinter and the team leader of the Lotto Belisol Team, after winning Stage 2 last year, had explained: “Tomorrow’s stage is really demanding. I’m a sprinter and this ascending stage is not suitable for me.”
Stage 3: 23rd April 2013 Tuesday; Antalya-Elmalı 152 km: In 2013, Elmalı summit finish, which is located on the way to the snowy mountains of Antalya, will still be there under the early summer sun of Turkey. The Queen Stage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey is running on the same route. This summit finish was added to the Tour’s route in 2012 and named as “Mini Alpe d’Huez” by the foreign press. Even this climb alone, was enough for the teams to decide to bring the climbers with them for the next time. But this year, there’s more to be expected. The winner of Elmalı finish Ivalio Gabrovski, starting the race in the bunched pack, had beaten the others to the line with his solo attack starting at 7 kms to the finish. This year, again, the battle for the summit finish of the Queen Stage will be on 1.850 meters of altitude.
Van Impe, joining the Tour as the Sporting Director of Accent Jobs-Willems Verandas in 2012 and wearing the Polka Dot Jersey of the King of the Mountains 6 times in Tour de France had said: “We’ve been racing in the Tour of Turkey for 2 years. We and the other squads were surprised, because the route selection, the transport organisation and the accomodation conditions provided for the racers to have a good rest in comfortable hotels has been great. I will never forget the Antalya-Elmalı stage. Also, the attention and the enthusiasm of the local people at the summit finish, the support they gave to the racers by climbing to the hills with their families made us very happy. We are willing to continue racing in the Tour of Turkey. I congratulate the President of Turkish Cycling Federation Emin Müftüoğlu and the other administrators for having improved the Tour of Turkey this much. The organisation is very successful. The European teams will be battling each other in 2-3 years in order to race in the Tour of Turkey.”
Last year with the Organisation’s decision, 22 teams limitation was increased to 25, and this year Accent Jobs-Willems Verandas Team will take part in the Tour among the 25 teams, with their new name: AccentJobs-Wanty.
Stage 4: 24th April 2013 Wednesday; Göcek-Marmaris 164 km: In 2012, the Fethiye-Marmaris route in Stage 4, was in the straight stages category. Just like many other big races getting more difficult this year, Tour of Turkey revised its one-stage ascending profile by increasing the number of climbs, too. The goal of making changes on Stage 4, is to increase the competition for the ascents and general classification. 5 kms after the take-off in Göcek, a second category climb will begin. This seems to be a strategically important stage for the ones who want to win the stage or the general classification. A breakaway pack which might be formed on the climb can end the day with a surprising final. Thus, we can predict that there can be agressive attacks coming one after another, just after the take-off. The demanding and technical descent of the climb is another very important detail of the stage as well.
After Çetibeli, the racers will start to climb up to the second summit near Beldibi on 550 meters of altitude.Though its descent is straight, İçmeler climb, which is added just before the Marmaris finish line, can be a winning opportunity for the climbers in the probable breakaway pack. In this stage, it won’t be surprising to see the sprinters left adrift of the peloton.
Stage 5: 25th April 2013 Thursday; Marmaris-Bodrum (TurgutReis) 182,3 km: Here’s another stage with changes. We return to the original route in Marmaris on Stage 5. This stage had a route of 178 kms and ended in Bodrum in 2012. This year, Sakar Mountain Pass which is on 800 meters of altitude is awaiting the racers with all of its difficulties. Sakar Mountain Pass climb which will begin just after the take-off, will be very demanding for the sprinters due to its steep slopes and bends. The ones starting the climb ahead instead of being ahead at the descent, will have a great adventage over the others. On the second climb of the day, the altitude will be 400 meters this time. The descent of the second climb, which starts about 90 kms after the take-off, is again straight. Stage 5 can have a surprising winner too, if a breakaway pack is formed. However, it won’t be easy to pass Sakar.
Stage 6: 26th April 2013 Friday; Bodrum-Selçuk (Meryem Ana) 201,6 km: The new summit finish is placed on the peak of Meryem Ana which is one of the most important historical values of Turkey. The sixth and the longest stage of the 49th edition of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey, is like an extended version of last year’s 179 km stage ending in Kuşadası. Meryem Ana is going to host a finish for the first time in the history of the Tour. Last year, there was a pack sprint finish at the end of 179 kms in Kuşadası. But this year, the peloton heading to Selçuk after the first 179 kms, will first start climbing a slight slope after Ephesus Antique City. Can it be easy to reach Meryem Ana? Challenging bends and climbs are awaiting the ones willing to reach Meryem Ana Peak and winning the first victory of it. We’ll be watching the favourite sprinters of the Tour’s previous editions, while they try not to drop behind the peloton on these testing climbs.
Stage 7: 27th April 2013 Saturday; Kuşadası-İzmir 124 km: The seventh stage of 2012 was added to the route last year. The profile of this new stage keeps its purity. After the race begins in Kuşadası, the racers will have to deal with the crosswinds for a long time. When they reach the borders of İzmir, the wind will stop. This time, they will proceed to the finish line at Lozan Square, where a huge crowd of supporters will be waiting for the racers. In 2012, Iljo Keisse of Omega Pharma QuickStep, had fallen off his bicycle, but he returned to the race and with the solo breakaway he started about 5 kms to go to Finish, he became the winner of this stage. Just before this fabled triumph, the audience in Lozan Square, couldn’t take their eyes off of the giant screen and started cheering for Iljo Keisse after his return to the race. Accompanied by the audience’s cheering and support, Iljo Keisse had flown to his first great victory.
Stage 8: 28th April 2013 Sunday; İstanbul-İstanbul 121 km: The final stage will be held among the beautiful historical values of İstanbul, where the racers will pass from Europe to Asia via Bosphorus Bridge. In 2011, this stage was named the “Historical Final Stage”, owing to its being the first Intercontinental Multi-stage Tour in the history of cycling sport. Last year, Theo Bos, the winner of the first stage of the Tour, was victorious at the final stage in İstanbul, too, where there was a pack sprint finish. So again this year, the super sprinter of the stage will catch the opportunity to be a part of the podium ceremony in İstanbul, in the heart of metropolis.
Both because of the recent changes on the route and the comments of last year’s teams on Elmalı summit finish, this year racers should pay attention to the climb-ups. Due to the changes made this year, especially the teams aiming for the General Classification and Jerseys, should form strong squads consisting of both sprinters and climbers. Teams comprising only sprinters, will be able to slip out of their rivals and aim for stage wins just in four stages. But to take the overall lead, the teams will need to be good in climbing and descending techniques.
The Organisation Director of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey, Aydın Ayhan Güney said: “The changes we made this year were necessary, because we are aiming for the WorldTour. This season, we see that the other grand tours have become more demanding as well. These 8 stages which will be run between 21st – 28th April will not be so easy. We are determined to reach our goals without compromising our quality. The balance of the climbing and the sprint stages was important for the contention of the Tour. In the last years, the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey was said to be a “Sprinters’ Tour”, but this year in April, we claim that the Tour will be the point of attraction.”
In 2012, the total mileage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey was covered in 1.174 kms. This year, with the changes made, the Tour’s mileage is longer than before; it will be 8 stages of 1.224 kms .
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