The Isle of Man’s Mark Cavendish of Etixx – Quick-Step wins his third stage in the Tour of Turkey
Tour of Turkey – Three for Cavendish
Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey Stage 7: Hat-Trick for Mark Cavendish
Etixx – Quick-Step leadout train remained fully operational despite a tough chase in the final kilometers, bringing Mark Cavendish to the front of Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey Stage 7 in time for him to launch inside 200m and win in Izmir.
Etixx – Quick-Step/Tim De Waele
Sonny Colbrelli (Bardiani – CSF Pro Team) was 2nd, and Kristian Sbaragli (MTN – Qhubeka) was 3rd.
Etixx – Quick-Step brought Cavendish back to a front group with 12km remaining, after the peloton split over the final Category 1 climb of the 165km stage. A four rider breakaway was also chased down by the front group with 23km to go, and the peloton split with about 30km left to race.
Despite the tough effort of bringing the Manx Missile back into contention for the reduced bunch arrival, Etixx – Quick-Step still firmly established a leadout inside 5km to go. Tom Boonen perfectly led Mark Renshaw and the British rider into position for the final kilometer. Renshaw then brought Cavendish to the forefront of the peloton, and he launched to win convincingly out of a reduced field.
Cavendish brought his total wins at the 2015 edition of Tour of Turkey to three. He trails Daniele Ratto (UnitedHealthcare) in the points competition by just two points with forty-six. Etixx – Quick-Step has won 22 road stages in 2015, with Cavendish earning nine of those victories.
Etixx – Quick-Step looks next to the final stage on Sunday. The 8th and final Stage, 121km in distance, is a short circuit stage that the sprinters will likely aim to win. The technical nature of the final kilometers will make the leadout trains difficult to organize. With 1.6km remaining there is a 180-degree turn, followed by three turns before they even get to the final kilometer. Inside the final kilometer there are two more turns before the final 600 meters.
“In terms of the sprint this was probably my easiest win with a reduced field,” Cavendish said. “We didn’t have a lot of the pure sprinters there and we knew that. Teams made it clear to us they were going to make it hard on the last climb, and I told them they better make it count because with the team I have with me, I knew we’d make it back.”
“So we just kept our tempo, making sure we didn’t go over the limit on the climb. The gap was a little bigger than we hoped, but my guys did an incredible job on the descent to come back. They grouped together, stayed with me, and they rode immediately. It was superb. I quickly got back, took a breath to recover, and then we went into leadout mode.”
“It went well. I spoke with Mark Renshaw and asked him to put a few riders of Lampre-Merida between Tom Boonen, because it would put them on the front a bit early. He just missed them but I managed to get them in and it went exactly as planned. They slowed down, Mark came around. I was able to jump on him and it was pretty straight forward from there.”
“I felt super good all the way until the line and I’m super happy with this win. I never went over the limit at any point today. It would have probably been worse if I had stayed with the first group instead of us riding within ourselves. For me the biggest thing I take from today is the way the team stayed together. We did the climb together, straight away worked, and for me that is a bigger satisfaction than crossing the line first.”
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- RR Result: East Cleveland Classic
- Features, Reports, Results
- Crit Result: Thruxton Tuesday Series 2
- Crit Result: CDPP Sport Crit Series 1
- Crit Result: SACA Salt Ayre Series 1
- Crit Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits 4
- Crit Result: Rowe & King Maindy 1
- Q&A: Charlie Abraham (Lee Valley Youth Junior Cycling Team)
- Events: SSSCCRRL Road Race League
- Youth Result: Isle of Man Youth League
- Youth Result: Lawford Youth Series (Curborough) #2
- Crit Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series #2
- Crit Result: Ride Flux Spring Crit series #2
- Youth Result: Maindy Flyers Freewheel League 1
- Ribble Collective: Ride More in ’24
- Crit Result: Tameside Cycling Development Circuit Races 1
- Crit Result: 2024 West Thames League 1
- Startlist: The Drummond Trophy
- TT Result: VTTA Surrey/Sussex 10 mile TT
- EVENTS: Proper Northern Road Races – Round 2 Oakenclough
- TTT Result: Scorton TTT
- TT Result: Manchester & District TTA 25m TT
- TT Result: Stowmarket & District CC 15m TT
- TT Result: Paceline RT Sporting TT
- TT Result: Hereford & District Wheelers 25m TT
- RR Result: Yorkshire RRL #1
- Crit Result: Scottish Student Cycling Criterium Championships
- Events: Dave Peck Memorial
- TT Result: Blaydon CC Two Up TT
- TT Result: Kent CA 10m TT
- TT Result: Wessex RC 24m TT
- TT Result: Easterley RC 25m TT
- TT Result: Cranbrook CC 10m TT
- TT Result: Penzance Wheelers 12.5m TT
- TT Result: Fife Century RC 25m TT
- TT Result: Bramley Wheelers 10m TT
- TT Result: Mid Shropshire Wheelers 25m TT
- Youth Result: Hog Hill GP (National Youth Series)
- RR Result: Velo Club Venta Spring Road Race
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain
- Crit Result: Ennerdale Season Openers 2
- RR Result: NCRA Handicap RR (week 5)
Other News on VeloUK
- Events: SSSCCRRL Road Race League
- Ribble Collective: Ride More in ’24
- Startlist: The Drummond Trophy
- EVENTS: Proper Northern Road Races – Round 2 Oakenclough
- Events: Dave Peck Memorial
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain
- Startlist: PB Performance Espoirs Road Race
- East Cleveland Classic: Saint Piran Team
- News: New kit for Ribble Rebellion Riders
- Events: Halesowen Friday Track Nights
- Team News: Ribble Rebellion off to the USA
- News: Pedal Club Lunch (March)
- Rider News: Winning start for Billy Ladle
- News: CiCLE Classic 2024
- Startlist: Stars of the SW Men’s U23 RR
- Startlist: Danum Trophy 2024 (Nat B)
- Startlists: London Dynamo Road Races
- Startlist: La Fleche Waltonne Road Races (BMCR)
- Meet Ribble HoloRider
- Startlists: East Cleveland Classic 2024
- Former Winners: Lincoln Grand Prix
- Chris Lawless Joins Saint Piran Team
- Paracycling Track Worlds Day 4
- Para CyclingWorlds Final Day
- Startlist: National Youth Circuit Series Rd 1
- Report/Result: Azets Spring Classic
- Startlists: RCR Fat Creations Road Races
- Startlist: Capernwray Road Race (March 31)
- Team Report: Fensham Howes MAS Design Junior Team
- Team Report: CiCLE Classic Junior Men
- RIDER REPORTS – Zoe Parker (Solihull CC)
- GB News: Two World Titles for GB at Para Worlds
- Team News: Alba Development Road Team
- News: British Road Champs Return to NE
- THIS WEEKEND: Peaks Two Day is Back!
- News: Laura Kenny Retires
- Team News: Lee Valley Youth Cycling Team
- 2024/25 CYCLO-CROSS CALENDAR
- Startlist: Cardiff Ajax CC 10 Mile TT
- Startlists: 16th Gifford Road Races (Scotland)