Tour of Turkey

The Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey got off to a fast start over the 134.7km stage that started and finished in Antalya. Filippo Ridolfo made sure the world’s first all-diabetes team was well represented in the race when he slipped into the day’s seven-rider breakaway.

The Italian picked up a bonus second after finishing third in the first sprint and finished the stage in the peloton, placing him fifth in the overall standings after the opening day’s proceedings.

General Manager, Vassili Davidenko

“We wanted to get someone in the breakaway. Filippo’s job particularly was to go in the break because last year he showed he’s quite fast and has quickly become skilled at reading the right moves. We were also focused on preparing the sprints for Andrea and Matyas as we knew this was likely to come down to a bunch sprint.”

“Both riders have enjoyed good results this season. We knew the World Tour teams would control the sprint and keep the pace high and we were quite organised inside the last 10 kilometers until some crashes in the peloton derailed us but luckily all of our guys finished safely and now it’s time to recover for the next day.”

Filippo Ridolfo:

“We were well represented in the front after the start was given. There were so many attacks and I was trying to be smart and not follow all of them. I followed three or four and managed to get into the right one. There were seven of us and we were collaborating quite well.”

“In the first sprint, I managed to get third and a bonus second. Up the climb the break started pulling hard and I didn’t have super legs. I also knew on this stage the break wouldn’t make it to the finish so I didn’t want to go too deep because there are seven days left to race. When I saw we didn’t get a big gap I was trying to save energy. This is the first breakaway of the year for me so it’s good to get back into the rhythm of racing and show the team colours off in the front.”

Photos: Yücel Çakiroğlu

Stage two of the Presidential Tour of Turkey saw Team Novo Nordisk make it two days in a row in the breakaway. David Lozano attacked on the longest stage of the race with six companions. The Spaniard explained later it was nice to be aggressive in the race as a quiet tribute to his late grandfather who passed recently.

Matyas Kopecky contested the eventual bunch sprint, sprinting to 12^th place.

General Manager, Vassili Davidenko:

“We knew the stage from last year where Andrea got a top 10. After a good start yesterday, we wanted to get into the break again, this time with either David, Peter, Antonio or Sam.”

“It was a hard start to the stage and David went in an initial move on the climb that was brought on the descent. Then he showed his experience and attacked right after the descent again and got away with a group of seven. That set things up nicely for the guys to look after Andrea and Matyas in the bunch. When it came back together for a sprint up the punchy climb, Matyas showed descent form to finish 12^th.”

David Lozano:

“The headwind was pretty strong so it took some effort from our group to get away and get a good gap. After trying to get into the break yesterday, I couldn’t miss it today as I was riding for my grandfather who just passed away. It was a way to pay my respects to him. It’s also nice to move up to third on GC. Of course it’s a long race but it’s nice to show the team off in the front. We did a good job in general and tomorrow is another chance.”

Photos: Yücel Çakiroğlu

In a similar run in to last year, the finish town of Marmaris played host to a bunch sprint when the Presidential Tour of Turkey finished here earlier today. Matyas Kopecky continued his impressive season with a top 5 finish on the stage.

The 21-year-old crossed the line fifth and was later promoted to fourth after the stage winner was relegated for deviation in the sprint.

General Manager, Vassili Davidenko

“Today I asked the guys to be really smart. This is a long stage race so saving energy is really important. We wanted to go into the breakaway but we didn’t want to force it to happen, spending unnecessary energy. As the climbing started early on, the stage was hard from the beginning until it eventually settled down when a breakaway went.”

“From there, the focus was to bring Andre and Matyas into a good position on the final climb which was roughly 16 kilometers to go. The climb wasn’t as long as last year and they managed to stay in the front and made it over in the first group. The boys positioned themselves quite well in the chaos of the leadouts and got another important result for us on National Children’s Day here in Turkey where we’ve been trying to inspire kids with diabetes not to give up on their dreams.”

Matyas Kopecky:

“I didn’t have super legs from the beginning but went on adrenaline in the final. We had great positioning with five kilometers to go when the guys brought me forward, then I lost some positions with 1km to go when riders were coming from behind. We tried to follow some of the World Tour teams and did a good job then a massive wave came and we were caught up in the laundry machine.”

“With 800m to go, I found a gap and took it. Within 200 meters I was in the front and with 250m to go I started to sprint. I left it all out there, it was a shame I was on the outside of the corner because maybe I could have stayed out of the wind a bit longer but I didn’t want to go on the other side of the road because I would have gotten boxed in on the inside line and that’s what happened for some sprinters. I’m so happy to get another top result for the team.”

Photo: Tour of Turkey

In a repeat of the previous day, Matyas Kopecky stormed his way to another impressive result, sprinting to fifth on stage 4 of the Presidential Tour of Turkey. The race came down to a bunch sprint but wasn’t evident that the win would be contested that way as it took until the last kilometer to reel in the remaining riders of the day’s breakaway.

The stage finish in Bodrum was a technical and undulating run in. Kopecky explains below that the speed was incredibly high and he didn’t know how his sprint would go.

General Manager, Vassili Davidenko:

“It was a tricky stage to plan because the parcours were very technical. It’s always nice to have someone go in the breakaway and we started with the guys covering moves but the main aim today was to bring Matyas and Andrea into good positions in the final as many riders start to get tired at the halfway point of the race.”

“Matyas had a bike change early in the race but showed professionalism and was calm coming back to the front group. From there Andrea, Peter, David and Matyas managed to survive the big climb and stay together until the finish. The pace was really high coming into the sprint as the breakaway was still away and attacking. We’re glad it came back and the boys did a great job, getting another result for us today. It’s been a great tour so far and now the focus is to keep fresh for the second half.”

Matyas Kopecky:

“It was hard to stick together because the roads were bumpy and very technical the whole day. All teams were just in one’s and two’s as everyone tried to survive and stay safe. I rode the big climb of the day at my own pace as I knew I had to survive this climb to have a chance of a result today. I was just off the back but knew the peloton would slow down over the top where I could push again to come back.”

“The guys did such a good job from there as I didn’t touch the wind once in the final, they just kept me safe. The last kilometer was really hard with a steep climb in it and with 500 meters to go I thought I couldn’t sprint, I was on the limit but there was a small downhill for 200 meters where I could recover a bit and I opened my sprint with 100 meters to go. Fifth in a pro race is satisfying but as a motivated rider, I always want more. We will continue to dream of more.”  

Today was another eventful day for Team Novo Nordisk on stage 5 of the Presidential Tour of Turkey with Andrea Peron racking in another top 10 for the team. The Italian fast-man finished ninth to keep the momentum going for the world’s first all-diabetes cycling team.

The day started off well for the team when Antonio Polga made the day’s breakaway over the 177.9 kilometer stage from Bodrum to Kuşadası. It was the first time in a breakaway at this level for Polga who is in his first season with the Pro Team after graduating from the Devo team.

General Manager, Vassili Davidenko

“Today we felt there was a slight chance the breakaway could make it to the finish. We saw yesterday, they were caught very late, so we wanted to be represented there today. It was Antonio’s turn to go on the attack so the other guys could recover with a big mountaintop finish coming tomorrow.”

“Matyas wasn’t feeling too well today so Andrea was our man for the sprints. The guys brought him into a good position with 5 kilometers to go and from there he used his experience to surf the sprint trains and ensure we get another good result here. It has been a good race for us now it’s time to recover before a big test tomorrow.”

Andrea Peron:

“The first objective was not to crash and then I tried to stay in the front as much as possible. I was actually feeling really good today so it’s easier to take on the sprints when you have good legs. In the last 300 meters I was in tenth position and then coming to the line I had to hit the brakes because we nearly crashed. Today’s finish was perfect for Matyas, it’s a shame he is not feeling well but that’s racing and I hope he can recover for the last two days. We’ll see what we can do.”

Antonio Polga:

“Today I was told by the team to stay in the front at the start of the stage. My legs were feeling good so I was covering the moves and managed to catch the right moment to make the breakaway. We rotated well, the other guys in the group were really strong. We were lucky and had a tailwind for a lot of the sections and we rode smart, using it to our advantage.”

“With 20 kilometers to go, one guy attacked, all I could do was ride my own tempo until the peloton caught me then went easy to the end. It was a good day for the team with Andrea finishing top 10 so it’s another good day for us. It was my first ever breakaway in the pro ranks but not the last.”

Photos: Yücel Çakiroğlu

The peloton took on the toughest stage yet in this year’s Presidential Tour of Turkey when it raced the queen stage from Kuşadası and finishing on a mountaintop in Manisa.

Unfortantely Team Novo Nordisk was dealt a blow early on when Matyas Kopecky didn’t start due to illness. Attention today was turned to the climbers, Peter Kusztor and David Lozano who led the team home in 53rd and 54th respectively.

General Manager, Vassili Davidenko:

“We always knew today was a big test so we’ve been saving Peter all week to keep him fresh for this climb. The first hour of racing was really high and it took a while for the breakaway to go. We wanted to have someone there but not at the expense of using so much energy.”

“Once we saw it took a while for it to go, it was time to position Peter and David for the climbs and after the guys did their job, it was about saving the legs for the last two stages. Matyas has gone home due to illness but these last two days will be important for Andrea so we’re changing our focus to that now to round out the successful tour we’ve had here so far.”

Peter Kusztor:

“I’ve been feeling good all week so I was optimistic about this stage. The boys did a really nice job all week going into breakaways and I could save myself for this stage. Today they helped me a lot, making sure I was well positioned. I actually had a really good pace up the climb, and I think I am in the best shape I have ever been but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to keep up with the front guys.”

“The level is very high now in the front group and the power you have to push to be there is really high. I had good legs for the last bit but when they kicked I couldn’t follow. We have two more days here to show ourselves once again and we’re looking to finish strong.”

Photos: Yücel Çakiroğlu

The penultimate stage of this year’s Presidential Tour of Turkey played out in an expected bunch sprint in İzmir. With the stage only 125 kilometers long, it was always going to be a fast one and with a hotly contested breakaway. A break of two riders got away, gaining a maximum advantage of just over four minutes.

After they were brought back, the race was contested in a fierce bunch sprint. Team Novo Nordisk riders rolled across the finish line safely after successfully avoiding a crash inside the last kilometer.

General Manager, Vassili Davidenko:

“It was clear today many teams wanted to get into the breakaway with one of the last opportunities to show themselves. It took a long time for the break to go and eventually the peloton was only happy with two guys because it’s easier to control.”

“From their our focus was to look after Andrea for the expected bunch sprint. You could see on the TV the boys did a really good job with their leadout and the team all together. This was important, especially with a u-turn inside the last kilometer. Unfortantely, a crash derailed things in that corner and the organization was lost. We’re onto the last stage in Istanbul now and it’s time to recover and finish the race strong.” 

Andrea Peron:

“I got a top 10 on this stage last year so we knew the finish well. I’ve been feeling good here so was looking forward to it. The speed was so high coming into the last corner and it’s almost like there wee two races, a sprint for the corner and a sprint for the finish.”

“We didn’t get the result we were looking for but I’m glad we managed to finish safely and now we turn our attention to the final stage in Istanbul. The guys are still motivated and you could see the great job they did today with positioning in the last 10 kilometers so we hope to replicate that tomorrow.”

Photos: Yücel Çakiroğlu

The final stage of the Presidential Tour of Turkey was neutralized after rainy conditions made for slippery wet roads.

The Istanbul stage was meant to be raced over 105.4 kilometres, but in a similar way to 2022, rain made for unsafe conditions and the decision was made for the peloton to ride a procession stage.

Team Novo Nordisk leaves the race with three top ten results and several breakaways.

General Manager, Vassili Davidenko:

“This is a race we have been coming to for a number of years and we always enjoy the hospitality. Once again we’ve managed to inspire the diabetes community and show what’s possible after a top performance from the guys. Matyas picked up 4th and 5th on two stages with Andrea 9th on stage 5.”

“At the same time we got to spend time with employees from Novo Nordisk employees and we always love these collaborations at races and bring the team closer in order to inspire each other. We’re already looking forward to returning here next year.”

Photos: Yücel Çakiroğlu