The Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey 2013 edition will start in Alanya on April 21, Sunday. The race will be concluded in İstanbul on April 28, Sunday.

The Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey or Tour of Turkey (Turkish: Cumhurbaşkanlığı Türkiye Bisiklet Turu) is a professional road bicycle racing stage race (2.HC UCI Europe Tour) held annually in Turkey.

Its recent elevation in rankings has attracted an increasingly competitive field. From 2006 it was rated as a 2.2 event, before being upgraded to 2.1 in 2008, and then again to 2.HC for the 2010 edition.

This year, the racecourse will be exceptionally hilly with two mountaintop finishes.

The stage list of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey 2013

STAGE | DATE | STAGE TYPE | START > FINISH | DISTANCE (KM)

  1. April 21, Sunday | Flat | Alanya > Gazipaşa > Alanya | 143.0
  2. April 22, Monday | Flat | Alanya > Antalya | 150.0
  3. April 23, Tuesday | Mountains with summit finish | Antalya > Elmalı (Göğübeli Mountain Pass) | 153.5
  4. April 24, Wednesday | Hilly | Göcek > Marmaris | 147.0
  5. April 25, Thursday | Mountains | Marmaris > Turgutreis | 183.0
  6. April 26, Friday | Mountains with summit finish | Bodrum > Selçuk (Virgin Mary) | 182.0
  7. April 27, Saturday | Hilly | Kuşadası > İzmir | 124.0
  8. April 28, Sunday | Flat | İstanbul > İstanbul | 116.5

Tour of Turkey 2013 Stage 1 Details

Alanya-Gazipaşa-Alanya, 143 km, Flat

The flat opening stage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey 2013 edition is Alanya-Gazipaşa-Alanya. The length of the stage is 143.0 km.

Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 1 profile
Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 1 profile (Alanya-Gazipaşa-Alanya), 143 km, flat

Start-Finish: Alanya

Tour of Turkey 2013: Alanya panorama
Alanya panorama from the west side of the peninsula. Stage 1 of the Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 will start and finish in Alanya.

Alanya (formerly Alaiye) is a beach resort city and a component district of Antalya Province in the Mediterranean Region of Turkey, 166 km (103 mi) from the city of Antalya.

Because of its natural strategic position on a small peninsula into the Mediterranean Sea below the Taurus Mountains, Alanya has been a local stronghold for many Mediterranean-based empires, including the Ptolemaic, Seleucid, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires.

The Mediterranean climate, natural attractions, and historic heritage make Alanya a popular destination for tourism, and responsible for nine percent of Turkey’s tourism sector and thirty percent of foreign purchases of real estate in Turkey. Tourism has risen since 1958 to become the dominant industry in the city, resulting in a corresponding increase in city population. Warm-weather sporting events and cultural festivals take place annually in Alanya.

Kızıl Kule, Alanya
The Kızıl Kule (Red Tower) is a historical tower in the Turkish city of Alanya. The building is considered to be the symbol of the city and is even used on the city’s flag. In 1979 the city opened the Ethnographic Museum of Alanya inside of the tower. Image: Wikipedia

Gazipaşa

Tour of Turkey 2013: Gazipaşa
The harbor of Gazipaşa, the ancient town of Selinus, Cilicia, Turkey.

Gazipaşa is a town and district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey, 180 km (112 mi) east of the city of Antalya. Gazipaşa is a quiet rural district famous for its bananas, oranges, and international airport.

Tour of Turkey 2013 Stage 2 Details

Alanya-Antalya, 150 km, Flat

The 2nd stage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey 2013 edition is between Alanya and Antalya. The length of the completely flat stage is 150.0 km.

Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 2 profile
Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 1 profile (Alanya-Antalya), 150 km, flat

Finish: Antalya

Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. It was the world’s third most visited city by the number of international arrivals in 2011, displacing New York. It is Turkey’s biggest international sea resort.

Antalya is a picturesque city surrounded by mountains, forests, Mediterranean Sea and many ancient ruins. Thanks to its airport, Antalya is a gateway for Turkey’s coastal resorts which have become known as ‘Turkish Riviera’ because of the natural and historical beauty.

Tour of Turkey 2013: Konyaaltı Beach, Antalya
Konyaaltı Beach, Antalya

Tour of Turkey 2013 Stage 3 Details

Antalya – Göğübeli Mountain Pass (1850 m), 154.8 km, mountains with a summit finish

The 3rd stage, the Queen Stage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey 2013 edition is between Antalya and Elmalı (Göğübeli Mountain Pass). The length of the course is 154.8 km.

Climbs:

  1. CAT 2 (9.3 km)
  2. CAT 1 – Tahtalıbeli (35.5 km)
  3. CAT 1 – Saksağanbeli (76.5 km)
  4. CAT 1 – Göğübeli (153.5 km)
Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 3 profile
Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 3 profile
Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 3 Göğübeli Mountain Pass
Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 3 will finish at the Göğübeli Mountain Pass (Turkish: Göğübeli Geçidi)

Tour of Turkey 2013 Stage 4 Details

Göcek – Marmaris, 147 km, hilly

The 4th stage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey 2013 edition is between Göcek and Marmaris. The length of the course is 147 km.

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 4 profile
Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 4 profile

Start: Göcek

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 4 start - Göcek, Fethiye, Turkey
Göcek

Göcek is a small town in the Fethiye district in Muğla Province, Turkey. It was named “Kalimche” in ancient times, and is located between Fethiye – Telmessos in ancient times – and Dalyan – Caunos in ancient times. According to the legends, it is in the Göcek area that Icarus landed in the sea after his famous flight trying to escape from the tower where he was imprisoned. Göcek was used as a harbor for ships loading chrome ore collected from the mines under nearby mountains during the Ottoman period.

Today, Göcek hosts six significant marinas that serve the yacht tourism in the region: Club Marina, Skopea Marina, Municipality Marinas, Marinturk Göcek Village Port, Marinturk Göcek Exclusive and D-Marin Gocek. A prominent characteristic of the town is the fact that it harbors islands and coves located in a large and secluded bay. Owing to its location, it naturally enjoys a high potential for yacht tourism.

In 1988, Göcek was declared a Registered Area of Special Protection. Therefore, multi-story buildings are not allowed, the tourist accommodation facilities are two-story hotels, motels, apartment hotels, and pensions situated in the town center and its periphery. Göcek has all the necessary infrastructure, capacity, and amenities expected in a tourism center, yet it is renowned as a much more peaceful and quiet settlement than some other tourism areas.

Finish: Marmaris

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 4 finish - Marmaris, Turkey
Marmaris, Turkey

Marmaris is a port town and tourist resort on the Mediterranean coast, located in Muğla Province, southwest Turkey, along the shoreline of the Turkish Riviera.

Marmaris’ main source of income is tourism. Little is left of the sleepy fishing village that Marmaris was just a few decades ago, after a construction boom in the 1980s. Marmaris still retains its charm due to its exceptional location between two intersecting sets of mountains by the sea. The town’s population was 30,957 in 2010 and peaks at around 300,000 to 400,000 people during the tourism season. Marmaris’ nightlife rivals anything on the Turkish coast.

Tour of Turkey 2013 Stage 5 Details

Marmaris – Turgutreis (Bodrum), 183 km, mountains

The 5th stage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey 2013 edition is between Marmaris and Turgutreis. The length of the hilly course is 183.0 km.

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 5 profile
Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 5 profile

Finish: Turgutreis (Bodrum)

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 5 finish - Turgutreis, Turkey
Sunset in Turgutreis, Turkey

Turgutreis (formerly the village of Karatoprak, before being renamed in 1972 in honor of the Turkish seaman Turgut Reis who was born here in 1485) is a town in Turkey about a 60-minute drive from Bodrum International Airport. It is the second-largest town on the Bodrum peninsula.

The district, which comes under the City of Muğla and Bodrum Town, is in an area of 55,000 Hectare.

Turgutreis is 20 kilometers from Bodrum, and is spread throughout a rich valley well planted with orchards and vegetable gardens, making the town a centre for commerce on the western side of the peninsula. Produce from the surrounding villages are collected here for transport. The town is a popular holiday destination with its 5 kilometres of sandy beaches, waterfront restaurants and bars. The market on Saturday also attracts many Holiday goers from surrounding areas and is a very busy and bustling example of middle east with a western touch.

The market owners take Euros, British Sterling, and the Turkish Lira. Although most items are fake they are still a cheap alternative to the expensive originals. Haggling is a must as most Bazaars in the world. There are mostly hotels and holiday homes peppered along the coastline but there is evidence of more production of homes.

Tour of Turkey 2013 Stage 6 Details

Bodrum – Selçuk (Virgin Mary), 182 km, mountains with summit finish

The 6th stage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey 2013 edition is a 182 km mountain stage with summit finish between Bodrum and Selçuk (Virgin Mary).

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 6 profile
Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 6 profile

Start: Bodrum

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 6 start - Bodrum
Southeast view of Bodrum Castle. Located in southwest Turkey in the city of Bodrum, it was built by the Knights Hospitaller starting in 1402 as the Castle of St. Peter or Petronium. Photo: Ad Meskens on Wikipedia

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Turkey, Bodrum is a district and a port city in Muğla Province, in the southwestern Aegean Region of Turkey. It is located on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula, at a point that checks the entry into the Gulf of Gökova, and is also the center of the eponymous district. The city was called Halicarnassus (ancient Greek: Αλικαρνασσός) of Caria in ancient times and was famous for housing the Mausoleum of Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 15th century, Bodrum Castle overlooks the harbor and the marina. The castle includes a museum of underwater archaeology and hosts several cultural festivals throughout the year. The city had a population of 36,317 in 2012. It takes 50 minutes via boat to reach Kos from Bodrum, with services running multiple times a day by at least three operators.

Finish: House of the Virgin Mary

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 6 finish - House of  the Virgin Mary
House of the Virgin Mary – the exterior view of the restored house, now serving as a chapel. By Rita1234 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8325181

The House of the Virgin Mary is a Catholic shrine located on Mt. Koressos (Turkish: Bülbüldağı, “Mount Nightingale”) in the vicinity of Ephesus, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from Selçuk in Turkey.

The house was discovered in the 19th century by following the descriptions in the reported visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824), a Roman Catholic nun and visionary, which were published as a book by Clemens Brentano after her death.

Tour of Turkey 2013 Stage 7 Details

Kuşadası – İzmir, 124 km, hilly

The 7th stage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey 2013 edition is between Kuşadası and İzmir. The length of the hilly course is 124.0 km.

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 7 profile
Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 7 profile

Start: Kuşadası

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 7 start - Kuşadası Panorama
Panorama of Kuşadası. Güvercinada (Pigeon Island) near the town center is the namesake of Kuşadası (“Bird Island”) can be seen in the middle of the photo. Originally uploaded by de:Benutzer:Dietmar Giljohann CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Kuşadası is a resort town on Turkey’s Aegean coast and the center of the seaside district of the same name in Aydın Province. Kuşadası lies at a distance of 95 km (59 mi) to the south from the region’s largest metropolitan center of İzmir, and 71 km (44 mi) from the provincial seat of Aydın situated inland. Its primary industry is tourism. Her neighbours are Germencik district from northeast, Söke one from southeast, Aegean Sea from west and Selçuk district from north.

Kuşadası caters to tourists, arriving by land, and as the port for cruise ship passengers heading to Ephesus. In a controversial deal in 2003 the previously public-owned port was leased to a private company and renovated to attract luxury cruise liners. The Grand Princess docks here, along with other cruise ships.

There are beaches including the Ladies Beach, the beach at the centrum, Guzelcamli Town beach and the Dilek Peninsula National Park beach.

Finish: İzmir

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 7 finish - İzmir
A view of central İzmir

Izmir (Turkish: İzmir; Greek: Σμύρνη Smyrni; Latin: Smyrna) is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia and the third most populous city in Turkey. Izmir metropolitan area extends along the outlying waters of the Gulf of İzmir and inland to the north across Gediz River’s delta, to the east along an alluvial plain created by several small streams and to a slightly more rugged terrain in the south. The ancient city was known as Smyrna, and the city was generally referred to as Smyrna in English, until the Turkish Postal Services Law of 1930 made “Izmir” the internationally recognized name.

İzmir has almost 3,500 years of recorded urban history and possibly even longer as an advanced human settlement. Lying on an advantageous location at the head of a gulf running down in a deep indentation midway on the western Anatolian coast, the city has been one of the principal mercantile cities of the Mediterranean Sea for much of its history.

Modern İzmir also incorporates the nearby ancient cities of Ephesus, Pergamon, Sardis and Klazomenai, and centers of international tourism such as Kuşadası, Çeşme, Mordoğan, and Foça.

Tour of Turkey 2013 Stage 8 Details

İstanbul – İstanbul, 116.5 km, flat

The 8th and the last stage of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey 2013 edition is in Istanbul. The length of the flat course is 116.5 km.

Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 8 profile
Presidential Tour of Turkey 2013 stage 8 profile

Sources

M. Özgür Nevres

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