After this week’s confirmation that Marcel Kittel and Andre Greipel will be part of the lineup for the Presidential Tour of Turkey, five more big sprinting talents are preparing for their participation in the 2.HC race.
Former Tour de France Maillot Vert winners Alessandro Petacchi and Robbie McEwen have been confirmed as competing with the Lampre ISD and GreenEdge teams respectively, Matt Goss will be part of the latter, and Mark Renshaw plus former world track sprint champion Theo Bos will spearhead a fast Rabobank lineup.
For some of those, the race will be the final event prior to the Giro d’Italia; for others, it’s part of their path towards the Tour de France. Either way, topping the podium in the growing event will be a priority to each of them.
Petacchi is determined to clock up his first win of the season and Turkey could well give him that chance. He’s had a rollercoaster season thus far but his Lampre ISD team directeur Roberto Damiani sees the race as being an opportunity for him to get back on track.
“Alessandro had a promising start to the season with podium places in the sprints of the Tour Down Under,” he said. “Unfortunately, back in Europe, he was affected by lingering bronchitis and was forced to rest after Milan-San Remo. He was unable to take part in races dear to his heart like Ghent-Wevelgem, Three Days of De Panne and the Tour of Flanders. He resumes competition in Turkey hungry for wins.
The 38 year old Italian will be backed by riders such as Davide Cimolai, Massimo Graziato and Davide Vigano in the race. The squad will also have an option for the general classification battle, which will go to a rider who is strong uphill.
“We’re also bearing in mind that the Tour of Turkey includes a mountain stage for the first time and it will be interesting for us to keep an eye on Ukraine’s Oleksandr Sheydik,” Damiani added. “He climbs well on paper and will have a chance to prove it in Elmali. He can be a contender for the GC.”
McEwen has had many good battles with Petacchi during his career and will have another chance to go up against the rider. It could in fact be the last time the two clash, as the Australian is set to retire prior to the Tour de France. He and fellow sprinter Matt Goss will be the two fast men on the GreenEdge team, and McEwen will also play a guiding role for the team’s other riders.
When on form, the Australian is one of the best sprinters in cycling. If he’s managed to build good condition, the race could in theory be the location for his final pro win.
McEwen and Goss will have two very strong leadout riders, namely Cameron Meyer and Michael Hepburn. Meyer is also trying to develop into a GrandTour contender and, after placing tenth in Tirreno-Adriatico, the race gives the now-retired track rider the chance to continue his focus on his development on the road.
Renshaw is yet to take a win in the race but he played a fundamental part in helping then-HTC Highroad team-mate Andre Greipel to five victories in the 2010 edition. This time round, he’ll be riding for himself. “I’m glad to be back in Turkey. I’ve seen that the race remained close to the coastline and that the tarmac had been improved on a big part of the course. Conditions should be perfect for bunch sprints,” he said.
“Regarding the number of teams with sprinters, there should be a strong will in the peloton for mass finishes. The more sprinters involved the better. The Rabobank line-up is a clear indication of our ambitions,” he said.
That lineup will see Bos, Graeme Brown, Jetse Bol, Coen Vermelfoort and Dennis van Winden also lining out in the distinctive orange jersey of the Dutch bank.
Bos competed in the race in 2008 but, rather than his results, he’s remembered then for his role in causing race winner Daryl Impey to crash. He was suspended by the UCI for that, and now returns to write a better history for himself in the country.
“I’m starting a new competition period involving Turkey, the Giro and Tour de France. We will not necessarily write down the same rider for stage win every day but I hope to show the way,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to a win. The Tour of Turkey is a great opportunity to do it and to gear up for the Giro, in which three or four of my team-mates will be the same.”
The race begins this Sunday with a 148 kilometre stage starting and finishing in Alanya.
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
Team Lampre-ISD: Vitaly Buts (Ukraine), Davide Cimolai (Italy), Massimo Graziato (Italy), Denis Kostyuk (Ukraine), Alexandre Kvachuk (Ukraine), Alessandro Petacchi (Italy), Oleksandr Sheydik (Ukraine), Davide Vigano (Italy).
GreenEdge: Matt Goss (Australia), Michael Hepburn (Australia), Aidis Kruopis (Lithuania), Brett Lancaster (Australia), Robbie McEwen (Australia), Cameron Meyer (Australia), Jens Mouris (Netherlands.) and Daniel Teklehaimanot (Erythrea).
Rabobank (Dutch unless stated): Jetse Bo, Theo Bos, Graeme Brown (Australia), Tom Leezer, Mark Renshaw, Jos Van Emden, Dennis Van Winden and Coen Vermeltfoort.