Tour of Turkey 2015, Stage 2: Gladiatorial showdown in Antalya
Things got off to a fast and furious start on Stage one of this year’s Tour of Turkey, and Stage 2 was to prove even more gladiatorial. Running 182 km along the pan-flat Mediterranean coastline between Alanya and Antalya, with a toasty spring sun and side wind for comfort made for a fast and fairly controlled race.
by Steve Thomas
Things got off to a fast and furious start on Stage one of this year’s Tour of Turkey, and Stage 2 was to prove even more gladiatorial. Running 182 km along the pan-flat Mediterranean coastline between Alanya and Antalya, with a toasty spring sun and side wind for comfort made for a fast and fairly controlled race.
A four-man breakaway went clear early in the day, and held on to a three-minute lead until the final 30 km, when the big guns decided that the escapees had had their allotment of airtime. The route itself was predominantly along a highway, but also took in a couple of side trips to some of the numerous Greek and Roman ruins along the way, which included Side, one of the best preserved historical sites in the whole former Asia Minor region, and dates back to around 333 BC.
Coming into Antalya, the hammer behind the break was thrust down with crushing effect. With no race radios to rely on, the racing here is slightly more controlled than you may expect, as tensions and chalkboard warnings mean that strict limits are put on breakaway groups.
Following a close call on Day 1 (second for Caleb Ewan), Christian Meier, of Sussex, N.B., and his Orica-GreenEdge train were determined to deliver their young buck to the line first. But it just didn’t come together: Ewan lost his teammate’s wheel in the finale, while Mark Cavendish made no such error and doubled up on stage wins. As the race heads to the mountain finish above Elmali on Tuesday, the whole race will be churned inside out and upside down.
One last #cortado before hitting the road to Tour of Turkey. #travelday @lafabricagirona https://t.co/MxwtfzqwfA
— christianmeier (@christianmeier) April 24, 2015
Meantime Meier, a renowned coffee buff, reflected on his first taste of true Turkish coffee: “It wasn’t great, but it was in the hotel, so I’m waiting to try one in a more traditional coffee shop.” One hopes he manages a double shot of that murky Turkish delight before hitting the slopes toward Tuesday’s finish line, where Ewan will probably not be needing a lead-out.
2015 Tour of Turkey, Top Three
1. Mark Cavendish (Etixx-QuickStep)
2. Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida)
3. Nicola Ruffoni (Bardiani CSF)
