In a bid to make the race tougher, more dramatic and more in line with its aspirations to become a UCI WorldTour event in two years’ time, the organisers of the Presidential Tour of Turkey have today revealed that they will include a climb ‘not unlike Alpe d’Huez’ in this year’s race.
The summit finish of the third stage will make the route far more selective than in recent years, finishing as it does at the top of a 1,850 metre climb. The ascent is called Elmali, and it will be considerably harder than the lumpy course between Fethiye and Pamukkale which previously featured in 2010 and 2011.
Race organisers today recognized that the stage may not have been hard enough. There should be no fears that the 150 kilometres between Antalya and Elmali –previously intended to be between Kemer and Elmali, but changed - will have the same problem.
Race director Abdurrahman Açikalin spoke of the difficulties the riders will face. “Starting from Antalya will not make things easier,” he said, “since before the final climb, another hill will be on the menu. [This is] the first category pass of Saksaganlibeli, before heading for Elmali, which means apple, and riding for 28.8 more kilometres before the finish, including thirteen for the final ascent on a road not unlike l’Alpe d’Huez.”
Last year’s winner Alexander Efimkin (Team Type 1-Sanofi) will return and knows that he will have to pull something special out to be able to take on the best climbers on such a tough finish.
The stage should ensure that a race once regarded as being for the sprinters will have a more versatile winner.
Eight WorldTour teams will take part in the 2012 edition, namely Ag2r-La Mondiale, Astana, Greenedge, Katusha, Lampre-ISD, Lotto-Belisol, Omega Pharma-Quick Step and Saxo Bank.
There will also be no less than fifteen Pro Continental squads, namely Accent Jobs-Veranda Willems, Andalucia, Bretagne-Schüller, Caja Rural, Colnago-CSF Inox, Colombia-Coldeportes, Europcar, Farnese Vini-Italia, Project 1t4i, Rusvelo, Spidertech, Team NetApp, Team Type 1, UnitedHealthcare and Utensilnord-Named.
The organisers today suggested that Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) would take part, as well as former Tour de France Maillot Jaune Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2R-La Mondiale) and the Erythrean climber Daniel Teklehaimanot (Greenedge).
The race will begin in Alanya on April 22nd and concludes in Istanbul on April 29th.
2012 Présidential Tour of Turkey:
Stage 1: Alanya-Alanya, 148 km
Stage 2: Alanya-Kemer, 185 km
Stage 3: Tekirova-Elmali, 148 km
Stage 4: Fethiye-Marmaris, 130 km
Stage 5: Marmaris-Turgutreis, 170 km
Stage 6: Bodrum-Kusadasi, 181 km
Stage 7: Ephesus-Izmir, 118 km
Stage 8: Istanbul (Europe to Asia), 114 km