By Emre Asikci
ANTALYA, Türkiye (AA) - The 58th edition of Tour of Türkiye will kick off in the country's Mediterranean resort city of Antalya on Monday, with hundreds of athletes from across the world gathering for the eight-day event.
One of the most prestigious cycling events of the world, Tour of Türkiye features a course comprising some of the country's beautiful Mediterranean and Aegean coastal towns including Antalya, Mugla, Aydin, and Izmir.
Starting from the Alanya district of the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya, and ending in Istanbul on Oct. 15, a total of 168 cyclists from 36 countries will have 1,235 kilometers in the Turkish Riviera by the end of the eight-day race.
The Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye, the only "intercontinental bicycle tour" in the world will host 24 teams, including four world tour teams, seven professional, 12 continental teams, and one national team.
The Tour of Türkiye started as the Marmara Tour in 1963 and gained international qualification in 1966, becoming the competition ground of teams on a world scale.
Competing teams
World teams: Alpecin-Deceuninck, Astana Qazaqstan Team, Bora-Hansgrohe, UAE Team Emirates
Professional teams: Bingoal WB, Burgos-BH, Corratec Selle Italia, Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team, Green Project-Bardianicsf-Faizine, Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, Team Novo Nordisk (ABD)
Continental teams: Beykoz Belediyespor, Konya Buyuksehir Belediyespor, Spor Toto Cycling Team, Abloc CT , Bike AID, P&S Benotti, Global 6 Cycling, Shimano Racing , Sofer-Savini DUE-OMZ , Tarteletto-Isorex , Team Medellin-EPM, Voster ATS Team.
National team: Team Netherlands
- Tour route
Stage 1: Alanya - Antalya (135 km) (83 mile)
Stage 2: Kemer - Kalkan (166,5 km) (103 mile)
Stage 3: Fethiye - Babadag (Mugla) (104,1 km) (64 mile)
Stage 4: 2023 Fethiye - Marmaris (165,3 km) (102 mile)
Stage 5: Marmaris - Yalikavak (Mugla) (180,6 km) (111 mile)
Stage 6: Bodrum - Selcuk (193,3 km) (119 mile)
Stage 7: Selcuk - Manisa- Izmir (159,8 km) (98 mile)
Stage 8: Istanbul - Sultanahmet (130,5 km) (80 mile)