Presidential Tour of Turkey winner Ivailo Gabrovski has insisted there’s no secret to his unexpected victory in the race, with the Continental team rider saying that hard work and complete dedication are the reasons why he was able to beat WorldTour and Pro Continental level squads.
Some teams expressed skepticism about the nature of the win, which was forged when he finished well over a minute clear of the next rider on the race’s sole summit finish of Elmali, then sealed when he defended against all attacks on the five remaining days.
One team manager told VeloNation that he simply didn’t believe what he had seen, referring to both Gabrovski’s strength and also the fact that he was temporarily blocked from racing in 2003 and 2005 as a result of a too-high hematocrit.
However Gabrovski strongly refuted any such suggestions about his win when giving a post-race press conference.
“This is not a surprise. This is a lot of work…not only this year or last year. I’ve been for more than 15 years a professional rider,” the 34 year old insisted. “I started with the road bicycle at eight years of age and all my life, I do the same thing. I ride my bike. I have no life like other guys and girls, I only have the bike. This is all I have.
“So cycling is my life. What happens here now is a lot of work and a lot of mind that I put in this race. Also, lots of wish, lots of courage to win the race. Luck too. You always need luck.”
With a bundle of European Tour points on offer, the win has reportedly raised the interest of several teams. Those pushing for a WorldTour licence know that they need to have a high points total at the end of the season, and one mechanism to get those points is to sign a rider who has a big victory to his credit.
The fact that Gabrovski races with a Turkish Continental team would likely make it cheaper for a team to sign him than it would to bring WorldTour or high Pro Continental level riders into the ranks.
He made it clear that he was open to offers, but said that no negotations had yet been started. “Right know, nobody comes to talk with me,” he said in response to a question put to him by VeloNation. “First of all, I am very happy to win this race, whether or not I can find something better or worse with other teams.
“This is a great victory for me and Konya Torku Seker Spor, and this is also a victory for all the supporters of Konya Torku Seker Spor. This is very important because this is a Turkish team and I am proud that by arriving here in the team I helped this team to grown up into taking a major race, the Tour of Turkey.”
He didn’t rule out staying with the team next year, but said that he’d like to weigh up his options. “I hope to find the best team…if the best team is Konya, I’ll stay. [But] at my age, you look for the best contracts. I’m open to any offer.”