Tour Of Antalya Continues at Full Throttle

NEUTRAL START WAS GIVEN AS 1,4 KILOMETERS

After Tarteletto-Isorex athlete Timothy Dupont, the winner of the General Classification, wore the Magenta colored jersey, the fodepar (Neutral start) was 1.4 kilometers and the real start was given at 12.33. Since the heavy rain the day before made some parts of the track slippery, the athletes pedaled at a slow pace before the stage. The 11th kilometer was passed as a group. Peloton seemed determined to reach Finike, the first bonus gate, without any problems. One or two unsuccessful attacks were observed from within the peloton, but no major escapes have been encountered yet. This situation was repeated several times as Finike was approached.

THE BONUS GATE FOR THE GREEN JERSEY WAS PASSED AT THE 28TH KILOMETER

The first big fight of the stage took place at the 28th kilometer. Athletes started to sprint for the Beyond Antalya Premium gate under the sponsorship of Fraport TAV Antalya. The first athlete to cross the line was Jensen Plowright from Alpecin-Deceuninck Team. Erik Fetter from Polti-Kometa Team took second place and Thomas Lebas from Kinan Racing Team took third place.

PELOTON DOES NOT ALLOW ESCAPE

When reaching Hasyurt location, 30 kilometers were left behind. However, considering that they passed through the first bonus gate 7 minutes before the estimated time difference, it turned out that the pace had accelerated considerably, and although seven athletes escaped from the peloton, they were caught before they could go very far.

FERİTCAN LEFT SAMLI

The athlete of Spor-Toto Team claimed that he got sick at the 31st kilometer and withdrew from the race, thus the number of athletes was recorded as 171.

SPRINT BONUS GATE IS ALSO LEFT BEHIND

At 44,6 kilometers of the stage, the sprint bonus gate sponsored by Diana Travel was passed. Although the estimated arrival time at this bonus gate was shown as 13.44, Peloton entered the bonus gate 14 minutes earlier than expected. The first athlete to cross the line was Hannes Wilksch from Team Tudor. Fabio Den Bossche from Alpecin-Deceuninck Team took second place. Aivaras Mikutis, also from Team Tudor, took third place. After passing the gate, seven athletes attacked and the first serious escape group was formed. The following athletes were among the group that took the lead with a 20-second difference; Fabio Van Den Bossche, Aivaras Mikutis, Hannes Wilksch, Polti-Kometa's Erik Fetter, Bingoal WB Team's Kenneth Van Roy, TDT-Unibet Team's Axel Huens and Tartelotto Team's Robbe Clayes. Although the difference was up to 30 seconds in the first moments, the peloton did not forgive and caught up with the group.

THE CLIMBING BEGINS

While the climbers were attacking one by one to get the climbing bonus at the 55th kilometer, it was seen that the General Classification winner, Timothy Dupont from the Tarteletto-Isorex Team, was left behind.

CLIMBING BONUS RESULTS

Athletes once again competed fiercely for the orange jersey sponsored by Corendon Airlines. The first athlete to receive the climbing bonus was Natnael Berhane from Beykoz Municipality Team. Anton Schiffer from Bike-Aid Team came second, Willem Jakobus Smith from China Glory Team came third, Cedrid Bakke Chirstophersen from TDT-Unibet Team came fourth, and Alois Charrin from Team Tudor came fifth.

ESCAPE GROUP OF 7 ATHLETES

Immediately after the climb, an escape group consisting of seven athletes broke away from the peloton and pedaled 51 seconds ahead. This time, Kamil Malecki from Q36.5 Pro Cyling and Anatoliy Budyak from Team Terengganu were added to the group formed during the climbing bonus.

SNOW PLUMS ON THE ROAD SIDES

As the 76th kilometer was approached, the time difference between the peloton and the escape group increased to 1 minute and 12 seconds. Meanwhile, it was seen that a light rain had started. Despite the temperature of 9 degrees, there were snow accumulations on the roadside, causing the athletes to look confused. Farrukh Bobosherov from Tashkent Team retired from the race. 170 athletes continue to come to the finish. As the 83rd kilometer was passed, fog appeared at the summit and the time difference between the escape group and the peloton decreased to 52 seconds. The rain continued to increase its effect.

AND THE LAST CLIMBING GATE HAS BEEN PASSED

The last climb of the stage took place at the 90th kilometer. Anatoliy Budyak from Terengganu Team was the athlete who received the highest bonus points. The other order was as follows. 2- Kamil Malecki from Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, 3- Cedric Bakke Chirstophersen from TDT-Unibet Team, 4- Marco Tizza from Bingoal WB Team, 5- Drew Morey from Kinan Team. After passing the gate, two more athletes were added to this five and the group continued to pedal in front of the peloton. The time difference was given as 1 minute and 20 seconds. 7 athletes started to increase the tempo even more.

TIME DIFFERENCE MELT IN THE DRY COURSE

As the rain ended and the track was established, the pace of the escape group decreased as the speed of the peloton increased to 60-70 kilometers per hour. 20 kilometers before the finish, the time difference dropped to 25 seconds and then to 15 seconds. We can say that the escape group and the peloton are now united. Again, there was a high probability that there would be a mass finish expectation. 5 kilometers before the finish, movement started in the peloton. From now on, the one who trusted his pedal would either run away or show his class and power in the last meters. And the expected happened. Peloton made the mass finish. The first athlete to cross the finish line, Matevz Govekar from Bahrain-Victorious Team, became the winner of the stage. Giovanni Lonardi from the Polti Kometa team, who rose to first place in the general classification in tomorrow's stage, will wear the Magenta colored jersey.

THE HARDEST STAGE IS TOMORROW

On the third day of the Tour of Antalya, the Kemer-Tahtalı climbing stage will be run as the queen stage of the race. In this challenging 136.7-kilometer climbing stage, climbers will reveal all their skills and the athlete who wins the stage will most likely have come a long way as the winner of the race.

SWIMSUITS FOUND THEIR OWNERS

Polti Kometa Giovanni Lonardi won the AKRA-sponsored Magenta Mayo, which was given to the leader of the general classification. Metin Cengiz, Vice President of the Turkish Cycling Federation, dressed the 23-year-old Italian athlete in his jersey.

Polti Kometa Giovanni Lonardi won the Diana Travel Yellow Jersey, which is given to the best sprinter. Antalya Youth and Sports Provincial Director Yavuz Gürhan dressed the athlete in his swimsuit.

Natnael Berhane from Beykoz Belediyesi Spor won the Corendon Airlines Orange Jersey, sponsored by Corendon Airlines, which is given to the best climber. AKRA Hotel Board Member Ali Ramiz Barut presented the swimsuit to the athlete.

Jensen Plowright from Alpecin-Deceuninck Team won the Green Jersey sponsored by Fraport TAV Antalya Airport, which is given to the Beyond Antalya class leader. AKRA Hotel General Manager Gökhan Polat dressed the New Zealand athlete in his swimsuit.