Istanbul gears up for Tour of Türkiye's concluding stage

ISTANBUL

Istanbul is gearing up to host the concluding stage of the Tour of Türkiye (TUR) on Oct. 15 as the final leg of the race, spanning 130.5km, will kick off and conclude in the historic Sultanahmet Square.

Turkish cycling’s premier event began its journey in the southern town of Alanya on Oct. 8. The race, featuring the participation of 25 professional cycling teams, was initially scheduled for April 23-30 but was postponed due to the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye’s south on Feb. 6.

One of the highlights of this year's race will be the intercontinental crossings as cyclists are set to experience the thrill of moving from Europe to Asia via the July 15 Martyrs Bridge and then back to Europe through the Eurasia Tunnel.

The eight-stage race has been a rollercoaster ride along the Mediterranean and Aegean coastlines. The cyclists faced various challenges, including the daunting climbs of the Babadağ summit during the third stage.

This stage drew international attention as cyclists faced one of the steepest hills ever recorded in the races organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

Between the 50th and 68th kilometers, riders ascended around 1,000 meters, setting the stage for an intense competition. In the final 20 kilometers from Ölüdeniz beach to the Babadağ summit, athletes descended to zero elevation before embarking on a challenging ascent to 1,937 meters.

The final climb featured a daunting 10.4 percent slope, marking it as the steepest hill in this year's UCI-sanctioned races.

The cyclists took 2.5 hours to reach the stage's challenging last part, while the 18-kilometer climbing section was completed in over an hour by the top contenders. Alexey Lutsenko of Kazakhstan's Astana team emerged victorious, finishing the race in first place with a time of 3 hours 34 minutes and 17 seconds.

Stage four, from Fethiye to Marmaris, was tailored for sprinters, offering a high-paced competition. The fifth stage, covering 180km from Marmaris to Bodrum, also included a first-category climb on a hilly route, testing the cyclists’ endurance and determination.

As the race was set to progress through the Bodrum-Selçuk and Selçuk-İzmir stages on Oct. 13 and 14, the cyclists are now eagerly anticipated for their arrival in Istanbul for the grand finale.

Cycling enthusiasts and spectators from around the world are expected to flock to Sultanahmet Square to witness the thrilling conclusion of the Tour of Türkiye.