The teams and 160 athletes who will compete in the Presidential Tour of Turkey, which is being held for the 50th time this year and will begin with the Alanya-Alanya stage, were introduced to the public following a cocktail organized against the historic view of the Alanya Shipyard.
Following the 50th Presidential Cycling Tour Cocktail organized by the Alanya Tourism Operators Association (ALTİD), the athletes were invited onto the stage one by one and introduced to the public. The promotional event, held at Alanya Kızılkule, was attended by the President of the Turkish Cycling Federation Emin Müftüoğlu, Alanya Mayor Adem Murat Yücel, Alanya District Governor Erhan Özdemir, Alanya Chief Public Prosecutor Yener Yavuz, ALTİD President Burhan Sili, and members of the domestic and foreign press.
'WE WERE BLESSED WITH THE 50TH YEAR'
Speaking at the promotional organization, Türkiye Bisiklet Federasyonu (TBF) President Müftüoğlu stated that he was in a state of special excitement due to the tour's start being held in Alanya, his hometown, and its 50th anniversary, saying, "It is a story that has been ongoing for 50 years and continues every year. We have been blessed with the opportunity to organize the 50th one. Alanya will show everyone tomorrow why the beginning was Alanya. I thank everyone who contributed."
'MY FAMILY IS HERE'
Torku Şekerspor cyclist Miraç Kal stated that it was a special day for him, saying, "My family is also here to support me. I hope we can achieve the goals we have set." Another cyclist, Nazım Bakırcı, said, "We held camps for these races. The 50th year is special for everyone, of course. Everyone here wants to win this tour. I hope the best person wins." Following the promotion, a Kıraç concert and a fireworks display were held.
LIST OF TEAMS
The teams that will pedal in the race, which starts with the Alanya-Alanya stage, are as follows: "AST Astana Pro Team KAZ Asia Professional, BEL Belkin Pro Cycling Team NED Europe Professional, CAN Cannondale ITA Europe Professional, LAM Lampre - Merida ITA Europe Professional, LTB Lotto - Belisol BEL Europe Professional, OPQ OmegaPharma - Quick Step BEL Europe Professional, OGE Orica - GreenEDGE AUS Oceania Professional, KAT Team Katusha RUS Europe Professional, BAR Bardiani - CSF ITA Europe Professional Continental Team, CJR CajaRural - Seguros RGA ESP Europe Professional Continental Team, CCC CCC Polsat - Polkowice POL Europe Professional Continental Team, COF Cofidis, Solutions Crédits FRA Europe Professional Continental Team, DPC Drapac Professional Cycling AUS Oceania Professional Continental Team, MTN MTN - Qhubeka RSA Africa Professional Continental Team, TNN Team NovoNordisk USA America Professional Continental Team, TSV TopsportVlaanderen - Baloise BEL Europe Professional Continental Team, UHC UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team USA America Professional Continental Team, WGG Wanty - GroupeGobert BEL Europe Professional Continental Team, YEL YellowFluo - NeriSottoli ITA Europe Professional Continental Team, TRK TorkuŞekerspor TUR Europe Continental Team"
TOUR DETAILS
The “Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey” will carry the excitement of cycling from Alanya to Istanbul in its 50th year. The high-level competition of professional teams and athletes participating in the world's only intercontinental stage race will begin in Alanya on Sunday, April 27. The Turquoise Competition, which will progress along the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts for 8 days, will conclude with the Istanbul stage, which will host a magnificent finish on Sunday, May 4, following the transfer of the athletes from İzmir to Istanbul by plane. In the TUR 2014 race course, which has a total distance of one thousand 254 kilometers, two important climbing finishes await the cyclists in the third and sixth stages. The 3rd stage, which will end at the Elmalı Göğübeli pass at an altitude of one thousand 825 meters above sea level, stands out as the longest and highest stage of the 50th-year competition. In the Selçuk climb, which is the second longest stage of TUR 2014, the cyclists will reach the Virgin Mary Hill by climbing 400 meters in height during the final 5 kilometers. Another stage that is rich in climbing sections and will challenge the athletes is the Marmaris-Bodrum (Turgutreis) competition to be ridden on May 1. In its 50th year, the fact that the three longest stages of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey are also the highest stages will offer significant opportunities for climbing specialist cyclists in terms of climbing points and general classification leadership. The other five stages, which have relatively flat courses, will provide an advantage for the athletes in the sprint points classification by elevating the competition through attacks among sprinters. İzmir, which hosted the finish stage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey for the first time in 1968, is in the spotlight in 2014 due to a change. The 7th stage finish, which has ended in Lozan Square for the last two years, will be moved to the Karşıyaka Pier on the other side of the city in 2014.
THERE WILL BE MORE THAN 2 HOURS OF LIVE BROADCAST PER DAY ON TRT
TRT has announced that the live broadcast duration of the Presidential Tour of Turkey will be 27 hours. In the 50th year of both the Presidential Tour of Turkey and TRT, the Turquoise competition is being brought to screens with live and repeat broadcasts on TRT-3, TRT Spor, TRT Türk, and TRT HD channels on a rotating basis between April 27 and May 4, 2014. The competition, with each stage being broadcast live for over 2 hours a day, will provide viewers at home with the excitement of cycling through the commentary of expert commentators and interviews. The TUR 2014 excitement, featuring stage-by-stage analysis of the high-level struggle between professional athletes, behind-the-scenes happenings, information regarding athletes and teams, and insights shedding light on the fifty-year history of the Presidential Tour of Turkey in a documentary style, will be waiting for cycling enthusiasts on TRT screens.
Presidential Tour of Turkey Will Reach 76 Countries in Europe and Asia via Eurosport in Its 50th Year
22 HOURS OF BROADCASTING WILL BE PROVIDED BY EUROSPORT
Europe's leading sports channel Eurosport will broadcast 22 hours and 45 minutes of coverage for the 50th Presidential Tour of Turkey Cycling, with 10 hours and 45 minutes being live, between the dates of April 27 – May 4, 2014. Eurosport and Eurosport-2 will deliver the competition to viewers in HD quality. The Presidential Tour of Turkey Cycling, which has been featured on Eurosport and Eurosport-2 screens since 2009 accompanied by commentary from experienced commentators in 20 different languages, including Turkish, will thus include the 76 countries reached by Eurosport across the European and Asian continents within its coverage network.
WILL LAST 8 DAYS
The tour, starting from in front of the Government House in Alanya, will extend to Kemer, Finike, Elmalı, Fethiye, Marmaris, Bodrum, Selçuk, Kuşadası, İzmir, and İstanbul. The world's most elite cyclists will travel along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts for 8 days and will travel from İzmir to İstanbul by air.