46th Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey Ends

While the 46th Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey ended with the superiority of Italian athlete Giovanni VISCONTI from ISD-NERI team, riders who covered up to 1257 kilometres in 8 days once more admired the beauties of Turkey.

General Individual Classification

1- Giovanni VISCONTI ISD-NERI 32.42.28
2- Tejay VAN GARDEREN Columbia 32.42.67
3- David MONCOUTIE Cofidis 32.43.01

Secretary General of Presidency Mustafa İSEN presented the award of Andre GREIPEL, Director General of Youth and Sport Yunus AKGÜL presented the award of Angelo FURLAN who ranked second, Governor of Antalya Alaaddin YÜKSEL presented the award of Kenny Roberts VAN HUMMEL who ranked third. Mustafa İSEN also presented the award to General Individual Classification leader VISCONTI. President of Turkish Cycling Federation Emin MÜFTÜOĞLU presented the award to owner of the green jersey GREIPEL, District Governor of Alanya Hulusi DOĞAN presented the award to owner of the red jersey Remi PAURIOL from Cofidis, and Mayor of Alanya Hasan SİPAHİOĞLU presented the award to owner of the white jersey Christophe KERN from Cofidis.

Sayar and Harmancı finished

From Turkish National Team number of which decreased to two athletes in the middle of the Tour, Mustafa SAYAR ranked 62nd with 33.26.25 and Fatih HARMANCI ranked 83rd with 34.05.37. These two athletes who reached to finish without any support by displaying an excellent performance gained rightful appreciation.

General Team Classification

1- ISD – NERİ 98.16.45
2- COFIDIS 98.17.43
3- COLUMBİA 98.18.40

Award and Money Rain

Through the 1257 km long total race, onehundredfiftytwo thousand sevenhundredtwentyfive (152.725 EURO) monetary award was distributed. Total monetary award distributed to first 20 athletes in every stage was 12.400 EURO. Only 99.200 EURO had been distributed through 8 stages. The monetary award the first three took in every stage was like this:
1- 4.955 EURO
2- 2.506 EURO
3- 1.237 EURO


At the end of the race, the amount of the money given to the first three of General Individual Classification was like this:
1- 17.343 EURO
2- 8.771 EURO
3- 4.330 EURO

As can be understood from this picture, athlete of Columbia Andre GREIPEL who won 5 stages in the 46th Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey and rider of ISD-NERI Giovanni VISCONTI had been able to win thousands of EUROS other than the cup and medals.

Visconti, “For the first time in my life I won a tour” Rider of ISD-NERI team Giovanni VISCONTI who grabbed the General Individual Classification leadership said “It had been an interesting experience for me. For the first time in my life, I won a tour. My team mates have a very big contribution in this.” at the press conference held after the stage.

Visconti responded the question “Did your afraid to lose the race?” like this: “No I didn’t. Cofidis team made many attempts. But they couldn’t succeed. I was scared of Cofidis and a few team players; I only concerned to make an accident in today’s sprint. Generally it was a very good race.” At the conference which was in the form of question-answer, Visconti expressed the following: 

QUESTION: Do you regret for not participating to the Tour of Italy? 

VISCONTI: I don’t have such regret. After this I want to run Tour of Italy and France. I am intended to be in the big races.

QUESTION: After this, in the remaining part of the season, can you win stage again? 

VISCONTI: It was not only because I am not experienced enough in the tour races, I haven’t really tried to be leader in the general classification. 3 years ago in the Tour of Italy I carried pink jersey for 8 days. In the Tour of Turkey I felt better. 

QUESTION: Is it hard to grab the turquoise Jersey or to keep it? 

VISCONTI: It was not hard. It is necessary to experience this spirit. 

QUESTION: What will you tell your family and your friends when you go back home? 

VISCONTI: I will tell my family and my friends that I want to go to Turkey again.

Information: http://www.tourofturkey.org/ShowNews?id=23