Cycling journalists praise Tour of Türkiye for scenery, organization, global reach

International cycling journalists have praised the 61st Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye for its excellent organization, breathtaking scenery, and growing international appeal. Federico Guido, a correspondent for the Italian cycling website Tuttobiciweb, told Anadolu that it was his first time in Türkiye and that he greatly appreciated everything the country has to offer. “I’ve especially enjoyed the landscape, especially the sea. There are a lot of good scenarios where we can be. I really enjoyed the experience,” he said. He noted that the inclusion of two mountain stages this year—Kiran and Feslikan—instead of one added challenge and variety to the race, creating opportunities for more battles in the General Classification and a more interesting overall competition.

Turkish fan enthusiasm

Guido also praised Turkish fans’ interest in cycling. “There are a lot of fans along the road and especially at the finish lines. It means that Turkish people are curious about cycling and interested in cycling. So, hopefully, the Turkish movement will go bigger and bigger next year,” he said. He added that he is trying to observe everything around him and explore the country through both personal experience and professional reporting.

Race profile and future potential

Nick Doup from the Dutch cycling website Wielerflits/Cyclingflash noted that the Tour of Türkiye is one of the longest stage races in cycling and very demanding for riders. He said the inclusion of two mountain stages was a good idea, allowing riders who have a bad day on one stage to get revenge on another. “It’s always better than just one,” he said. The Tour of Türkiye is categorized as a ProSeries event on the UCI Europe Tour calendar—the only race in Türkiye at that level. The route includes coastal cities such as Izmir, Aydin, Mugla, and Antalya, and finishes in Ankara on May 3.