Istanbul hosts Tour de France cycling event

ISTANBUL

L'Etape Türkiye by Tour de France, a special event designed for amateur athletes inspired by the iconic Tour de France cycling race organization, took place in Istanbul on Oct. 19 and 20.

Being held for the first time in Türkiye, this prestigious two-day event welcomed participants from 50 different countries, bringing together 3,000 athletes.

These amateur athletes tackled 106.8 kilometers of the "Long" course, 55.8 kilometers of the "Short" course and 6.7 kilometers of the "Family and Children" course during these two days.

The bikers of various age groups demonstrated their resilience while showcasing their abilities, as their physical and mental stamina were put to the test on difficult hills on these routes.

The "Long" course route of the organization wound its way to the historic metropolis of Istanbul's splendors through the villages of Riva, Paşamandıra, Cumhuriyetköy and Polonezköy.

Starting from the Küçüksu Pavilion, the cyclists passed through the Anadolu Hisarı (Anatolian Castle) and crossed across to the European Side of the city via the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge.

After passing Rumeli Hisarı (Rumelia Castle), the cyclists proceeded to Polonezköy and then Riva again via the same bridge. They finally arrived at the pavilion, marking the race's finishing point. 

Anton Hrabovskyi was the first to complete the “Long” course, finishing in 2 hours, 55 minutes and 5 seconds. In the women’s division, Şeniz Pamuk ranked first with a timing of 3 hours, 26 minutes and 2 seconds.

Among Istanbul's distinctive attractions, cyclists enjoyed a pleasant rivalry in the “Short” course route as well. Facing challenging terrains in the Beykoz district, cyclists exerted all of their strength to reach the final destination.

"It is a source of pride for the country to host such an important organization," Ömer Kafkas, the general manager of the competition’s organizer in Türkiye, told state-run Anadolu Agency before the races.

Kafkas stressed that they had a long preparation period for this event of great significance, spanning approximately one and a half years.

"First of all, the fact that Türkiye hosts such an important brand has a great impact on athletes,” he said, emphasizing that the Tour de France is one of the most important sports organizations in the world followed by billions of people.

He highlighted the significance of the race for the promotion of the country in this sense, referring to the fact that the event was broadcast live on numerous channels, providing uninterrupted coverage for 4 to 4.5 hours.

Kafkas further mentioned that over the past 10 years, they have witnessed significant changes in participation in such organizations.

"We've witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of participants, reflecting the growing interest and enthusiasm for such organizations. The number of new athletes joining this sport every year is approximately 24 percent.”

The Tour de France is renowned as one of the world's most prestigious and challenging bicycle races. As one of the three major Grand Tours — alongside the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana — it draws the best cyclists from around the globe.