ANTALYA
Tibor Del Grosso, a Dutch cyclist who won his first professional race in stage 2 of the 60th Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye on Monday, said it was especially exciting to do so in Türkiye—”it makes the moment even more special.”
“There were definitely some strong sprinters, and I also didn’t feel that confident going into the sprint, so yeah, it was really cool to beat them,” the 21-year-old said after winning stage 2 in Antalya on Monday.
Del Grosso of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team noted that stage three might be slightly more technical, which suits his riding style and preferences, adding: “The weather has been really nice. Yesterday was quite warm. I think some more people felt the heat.”
When asked about the weather and ground conditions for the upcoming stages, Del Grosso commented on the possibility of changing conditions. “The next few days may bring a bit of rain. I hear it gets quite slippery here when it rains, so we’ll see about that,” he said. “But until now, the weather has been nice.”
He highlighted the warmth and kindness of the people in Türkiye, saying, “I see quite a few people on the side of the road, all the kids coming out.”
The Dutch rider also shared that his favorite Turkish food is baklava.
From Marmara Tour to international prestige
The event, originally launched as the Marmara Tour in 1963, gained international status in 1965, and later came under the auspices of the Turkish Presidency, becoming one of the region’s most prestigious races.
Started from Antalya on April 27, cyclists will cover 1,153 kilometers (716 miles) over eight stages, passing through renowned Turkish tourism hotspots such as Kemer, Kalkan, Fethiye, Marmaris, Akyaka, Aydin, Kusadasi, Selcuk, and Cesme, before concluding the race in the Aegean city of Izmir on May 4.
The 2025 edition will see 160 cyclists from 23 teams across 13 countries and three continents competing. The race will be broadcast live internationally on Eurosport and domestically on TRT Spor, helping to showcase Türkiye’s beauty and cycling culture to a global audience.
