Italian cyclist captures Presidential Cycling crown

By Ercan Cakar

ISTANBUL (AA) - Italian cyclist Diego Ulissi of the UAE Team Emirates emerged victorious in the 53rd Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey which concluded on Sunday.

Two more Italian cyclists rounded out the top three, with Matteo Pelucchi from the Bora-Hansgrohe team capturing second place, and Francesco Gavazzi racing for Androni Sidermec Bottecchia coming in third.

The contest began on Oct. 10 in Turkey's Mediterranean resort town of Alanya and ended on Oct. 15 in Istanbul.

The tour’s sixth and final stage spanned 143.7 kilometers (89 miles), starting at the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and ending in historic Sultanahmet Square.

A total of 93 cyclists from 13 teams competed in the race’s final stage.

Organized by the Turkish Cycling Federation, the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey started in 1963 as the Marmara Tour and became an internation race two years later.