By Emre Asikci
IZMIR, Türkiye (AA) - Victor Langellotti of Burgos BH team won the sixth stage of the 58th Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye on Friday.
Monegasque cyclist came first in a 193.3-kilometer (119-mile ride, completing the stage between the Aegean resort towns of Bodrum and Selcuk in four hours, 46 minutes, and 34 seconds.
In the post-stage press conference, Langellotti said that winning a stage in the Presidential Tour of Türkiye is great, adding: "It's a very good feeling. I came here with the hope of winning when we decided with the team to come and race in Türkiye."
"I knew that this stage and this finish were good for my qualities. A short and pretty steep climb is perfect for me. We followed the plan of the team manager with Antonio Angulo in the breakaway and Mauro Aparicio attacking to make the race harder. I was set to finish the job in the final meters. The plan was perfectly executed. It’s a bit unexpected but I enjoy it a lot," he said.
The sixth stage hosted 139 athletes from 24 teams, with Alex Lutsenko retaining the Turquoise jersey as general classification leader.
The event will continue on Saturday with a nearly 159.8-kilometer (98-mile) ride from Selcuk to Izmir.
Having started on Sunday from the district of Alanya — a picturesque town on the famed province of Antalya's Mediterranean coast — the race will come to an end in the metropolis of Istanbul on Oct. 15 after the cyclists travel eight days and 1,235 kilometers along the Turkish Riviera.
The Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye, which is the only intercontinental bicycle tour in the world, will host four world tour teams, seven professional, 12 continental, and one national team.
The Turkish Cycling Federation has been organizing the tour, earlier known as the Marmara Tour, since 1963. It gained international status in 1965 and was brought under presidential authority in 1966.
Remaining tracks:
Stage 7: Selcuk - Manisa - Izmir (159.8 kilometers) (98 miles)
Stage 8: Istanbul - Sultanahmet (130.5 kilometers) (80 miles)