Marmaris: Lev Gonov, a 25-year-old cyclist, emerged victorious in the third stage of the 60th Presidential Cycling Tour of Trkiye by completing the 175.9-kilometer (108-mile) Fethiye-Marmaris track in 4 hours, 22 minutes, and 44 seconds, outpacing 160 competitors. Gonov expressed delight at his unexpected triumph, calling it a significant achievement.
According to Anadolu Agency, Gonov attributed his success to the support of his team and their strategic approach during the race. He shared that their primary tactic was to back their General Classification (GC) riders, with an additional focus on seizing opportunities to win stages. Gonov acknowledged the crucial role of Nicolas Vinokurov, who provided him with an excellent lead-out, enabling him to sprint effectively in the final 200 meters.
This victory marks Gonov's first win with the XDS-Astana team and a milestone in his cycling career. He remains focused on future goals, including the European championships in road and time trials and the individual pursuit at the world championships in Chili later this year. Looking ahead, Gonov plans to conserve energy in the upcoming stages while hoping for teammates Wout Poels or Harold Martin Lopez to excel in the climbers' stage.
Lander Loockx of the Tietema Rockets secured the second position, while Tibor Del Grosso from the Alpecin-Deceuninck team finished third. Despite not winning the stage, Del Grosso, 21, retained the Turquoise Jersey, symbolizing his lead in the general classification.
The eight-day race will proceed with the Marmaris-Akyaka (Kiran) leg on Wednesday. The tour, which commenced in Antalya on Sunday, covers a total distance of 1,153 kilometers (716 miles) across eight stages. Cyclists traverse notable Turkish tourist destinations, including Kemer, Kalkan, Fethiye, Marmaris, Akyaka, Aydin, Kusadasi, Selcuk, and Cesme, before concluding in the Aegean city of Izmir on May 4.
The Turkish Cycling Federation, which has organized the tour since 1963, has seen it evolve from the Marmara Tour to an event of international status in 1965. It was brought under presidential authority in 1966, solidifying its reputation as one of the region's premier races.