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11 October 2018

BENNETT WINS AGAIN IN MARMARIS AND HAS ONE EYE ON GC
27 year old is flying high and wants as many stage wins as possible
Full official results, rider quotes, photography, race report

Thursday 11 October, Marmaris – Sam Bennett (BORA – Hansgrohe) continued his love affair with the Presidential Tour of Turkey, grabbing his second successive win and his sixth stage victory in total at the TUR. 

All photography, credit Brian Hodes / VeloImages

The Irishman is in superb form and with a small advantage on the main contenders for overall victory, he said he hasn’t given up hope of mounting an unlikely challenge for the SporToto Turquoise jersey for overall victory. But his primary focus is just to win more stages at this year’s race. 
 
The BORA-Hansgrohe leader was able to perfectly time an attack in the final bend and his acceleration was too much for 56 Maximiliano Richeze (Quick-Step Floors) and 82 John Degenkolb (Trek - Segafredo) who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. 
 
137 Beñat Txoperenawas again in the day’s breakaway and after having gone over the 2ndcategory climb in 2ndplace, he extended his lead in the competition. Meanwhile, 194 Onur Belkan (Turkish National Team) held on to the Turkey at Home White Jersey

Download full results (LINK)

All photography, credit Brian Hodes / VeloImages

Troy Stage 3 Fethiye-Marmaris summary result: 
 
1. 41Sam Bennett (BORA – Hansgrohe) 132.7 km in 03h16m27s
2. 56 Maximiliano Richeze (Quick-Step Floors)
3. 82 John Degenkolb (Trek - Segafredo)
 
SporToto Turquoise jersey summary standings:
1. 41 Sam Bennett (BORA – Hansgrohe) 
2. 56 Maximiliano Richeze (Quick-Step Floors) +10
3. 82 John Degenkolb (Trek - Segafredo) +22
 
Jerseys

Spor Toto Turquoise jersey: overall race leader: 41 Sam Bennett (BORA – Hansgrohe)

Turkish Airlines Red Jersey: mountain classification leader: 137 Beñat Txoperena (Euskadi Basque Country – Murias)

Turkey Home White Jersey: Beauties of Turkey classification leader: Onur Belkan (Turkish National Team)

Salcano Green Jersey: points classification leader: 41 Sam Bennett (BORA – Hansgrohe)
 

All photography, credit Brian Hodes / VeloImages

Rider reaction: 
 
41 Sam Bennett (BORA-Hansgrohe)who finished 1st said: “I didn’t actually feel too good on the two climbs but the team kept me protected and I was in a really good position on the way up. 
 
“I wasn’t hurting too much in the climb because of the team and it was only really the last 500m at the top that I had to push on and there was a headwind on that last section which made it a bit tougher. 
 
“It was unfortunate because we thought we may have lost a few guys on the way up but the descent was quite long so it allowed them to jump back on. I remember the final straight not being quite as long last time but this year I think it was about 4km. 
 
“I managed to sit in and stayed near Trek – Segafredo and Quick Step Floors and then in the last 500m I was just watching the wheels and when we got to around 230km I saw a little hesitation from the Quick-Step Floors guys at the front and then at 220m I just went round that bend and accelerated. I looked up at 100m and just held my speed and thankfully I had good legs and knew I was going to make it.
 
“I am nearly 2kg heavier this year but I feel stronger. The training has really helped me and I feel like I’ve just got more power in the finish. It’s worked to my advantage because I think what happened in the last km was Quick-Step Floors changed their approach to try and challenge my speed but I felt really good today. 
 
“I came here to win. I don’t mean it to sound arrogant but I have high expectations of what I can achieve and I want more stages. 
 
“Looking at tomorrow I probably can’t win but it isn’t a particularly long climb at the end, it is quite short one and I already have a few seconds on a few of the GC guys. So maybe I can afford to lose a little bit of time and be up there still for the overall. I will have to talk to the team and see what the plan is because we have a few options for the GC and I can’t be too greedy!”
 
56 Maximiliano Richeze (Quick-Step Floors)who finished 2nd said:We knew that today Alvaro wasn’t the best climber and the final few km would be tough for him. 

“The plan was for the team to work and get me in position over the final climbs and it was hard. 

“The team did amazingly well and got me in a good position. Our lead out was nearly perfect going in to the final km and I waited for 200m to follow Bennett when he went round the last bend and I was close but he was just a bit too fast today and I couldn’t get on his wheel. 

“Tomorrow is all about the climbers but we want to win another stage and for sure we will try again.”
 
82 John Degenkolb (Trek - Segafredo) who finished 3rdsaid: “It was a really difficult last few km. I knew if we had any chance today then I would have to suffer over those last two climbs. 

“I lost contact going over the top but the team did a great job to get me back on and they were brilliant all day, trying to set me up for the win. 

“I feel like I’m getting stronger every day I ride here and I’m nearly over my cold so that’s good! 

“The team will work hard again tomorrow to try and get 86 Kielup Reijnen (Trek – Segafredo) at the front with the main contenders and give him a chance for the GC. 

“After tomorrow then hopefully we can once again try and go again for another stage win.”
 
137 Beñat Txoperena (Euskadi Basque Country – Murias), who leads the Turkish Airlines King of the Mountains competition said: “Today was great for me and I am happy to have another day in the red jersey. I knew I didn’t have to get over the line first at the prime but I knew second was good enough to hold on to it. 
 
“Tomorrow of course is another challenge and there’s a first category climb right in the middle of the stage. It’s important of course to get in another breakaway and I am sure there will be attacks but I think if it goes well I have a great chance to be able to hold on to the jersey all the way.”
 
Race report
 
As the hot October sun beat down on the beautiful town of Fethiye, the riders prepared for the race to start while the local residents and tourists went about their daily routines. Groups of fishermen drinking coffee and playing games of cards in the café’s by the sea and young children’s joy at the sea turtles in the bay. A perfect setting. 

All photography, credit Brian Hodes / VeloImages 

The race began with a 4.5km neutralised zone as the action got under way and within 5km there was already a lead group forming at the front and it was obvious there was a determination from some of the team’s to hold on to their respective jerseys. 
 
The Turkish National Team sent two riders out early to the front to protect their leaders’ White Jersey for the Turkey at Home Beauties of Turkey competition, while Euskadi – Murias followed a similar strategy to protect the lead they had in the Turkish Airlines Red Jersey King of the Mountains competition. The breakaway featured their man holding that lead, 137 Beñat Txoperena (Euskadi – Murias), as well as the two men behind him in the classification,167 Kenneth Van Rooy (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise) and 196 Ferit Samli (Turkish National Team). The other four riders with them in the group were 67 Mads Würtz Schmidt (Team Katusha – Alpecin), 136 Fernando Barceló (Euskadi – Murias), 154 Aldemar Reyes (Manzana Postobon) and 193 Muhammed Atalay (Turkish National Team). 
 
They soon had a sizeable lead as they approached 5km, with a lead of 1min 40secs and by the 20km mark they had stretched their advantage out to 2mins 10sec and they maintained that gap to the summit of the first prime of the day.
 
As the riders approached the summit, it was the Colombian, 154 Aldemar Reyes (Manzana Postobon) who took maximum points over the top, but 137 Beñat Txoperena (Euskadi – Murias) did enough to go through in second and extend his lead in the competition to five points and will wear red again tomorrow on stage 4 in to Selçik. 
 
At 33.3: Category 2 climb (Turkish Airlines Red Jersey competition):
1. (5 pts) 154 Aldemar Reyes (Manzana Postobon)
2. (3 pts) 137 Beñat Txoperena (Euskadi – Murias)
3. (2 pts) 167 Kenneth Van Rooy (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise)
4. (1 pts) 196 Ferit Samli (Turkish National Team)
 
The group were going well and by 40km they had managed to push out their lead over the main pack to 2mins 45secs and it was a lead that continued, without incident, until 60km where they were still out in front with an advantage of 2mins 55secs and making 167 Kenneth Van Rooy (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise) the virtual leader on the road. 
 
However, over the next 5km there was pressure being put down by the main pack who were starting to work to bring back the breakaway and as the leaders went through the day’s intermediate sprint, their advantage was beginning to come down significantly and with 60km still to race it was now back down to 1min 36secs. 
 
At 65.2m : Intermediate sprint (Salcano Green Jersey competition):
1. (5 pts, 3 secs)  167 Kenneth Van Rooy (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise)
2. (3 pts, 2 secs) 154 Aldemar Reyes (Manzana Postobon)
3. (1 pt, 1 sec) 137 Beñat Txoperena (Euskadi – Murias)
 
As the stage continued in to the final part of the day, the next 25km did not see too much action with the main pack still controlling things with relative ease and the peloton were once again happy to sit off without putting too much pressure down to catch the men in front. Up top, the leading seven riders still held a significant lead of around 1min 15secs in the 10km before the Beauties of Turkey sprint.

All photography, credit Brian Hodes / VeloImages

At km 101.8: “Beauties of Turkey” (Turkey at Home White Jersey competition):
1. (5 pts) 193 Muhammed Atalay (Turkish National Team)
2. (3 pts) 196 Ferit Samli (Turkish National Team)
3. (2 pts) 167 Kenneth Van Rooy (Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise)
 
Soon after that, the race suddenly burst in to life in the peloton and the sprinters teams were putting power on at the front of the pack. Their effort meant that at 108km with just over 20km left in proceedings and approaching the penultimate climb of the day, the lead group was swiftly reduced down to just three sole riders - 67 Mads Würtz Schmidt (Team Katusha – Alpecin), 136 Fernando Barceló (Euskadi – Murias) and 154 Aldemar Reyes (Manzana Postobon). 
 
They started working together well, maybe realising their attempt to take the breakaway all the way to the finish line could soon be in vain. Then as rain started to fall and the riders passed the 120km mark it was the final rise of the day that put an end to their plans. 
 
With 12.6km left it was game over for the remaining trio. The peloton pushed hard in to the final climb with Katusha-Alpecin working well with their train in full flow. The result was a number of riders falling off the back of the climb, one of them the Colombian and yesterday’s runner up 53 Alvaro Hodeg (Quick-Step Floors). 
 
Over the top of the final mountain and with various riders beginning to make attempts to burst of the front, the main pack were having to control any further attacks from succeding. The descent however, put an end to any chance of a break getting away and in to Marmaris with 4km to go the sprinters teams were trying to bring it all back together and prevent and mini attacks. 

All photography, credit Brian Hodes / VeloImages

At 3km to go, it was looking once more like it would be another bunch sprint that would decide today’s winner. The usual suspects started to come through as BORA - Hansgrohe looked to set up 41 Sam Bennett (BORA – Hansgrohe) for a second successive win. 
 
The Quick-Step Floors train looked in good shape and it was clear that with 500m to go they wanted to launch 56 Maximiliano Richeze (Quick-Step Floors). 
 
At 200m as they continued to lead the pack, 41 Sam Bennett (BORA-hansgrohe) attacked round the final bend in to the finish and seized on what looked like a little hesitation from the Quick-Step Floors duo at the front. 
 
The Irishman sped around the corner with Richeze close by and even though the Argentinian got within a few metres, he couldn’t do anything to prevent the highly impressive Bennett from capturing his sixth TUR win. 
 

54th Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey, 9-14 October 2018 (2.UWT):
Stage 1 (sponsored by Turkish Airlines) - Konya › Konya
Stage 2 (SporToto) - Alanya › Antalya
Stage 3 (Troy) - Fethiye › Marmaris
Stage 4 (SporToto) - Marmaris › Selçuk 
Stage 5 (Vestel) - Selçuk › Manisa
Stage 6 (Salcano) - Bursa › Istanbul 

 

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