Astana Cycling Team

Davide Rebellin (CCC Sprandi Polowice) won Stage 3 of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey at Elmalı. He finished 7 seconds ahead of his breakaway companion, Kristijan Durasek (Lampre - Merida). Third was the Argentine rider Eduardo Sepúlveda (Bretagne - Séché Environnement), who conceded 50 seconds to the stage winner. Those three lead the new General Classification, with the Italian 43-year-old wearing the Turquoise Jersey of the race leader.

By Magzhan BESIEN

David Rebellin wins stage 3 at Elmalı (Click through for Hi Res. Photo credit: Tour of Turkey/Brian Hodes)
Stage 3: Kemer - Elmalı  (165 km) 

1. Davide Rebellin (CCC Sprandi Polowice), 165 km in 4h34m11s, Ave.  km/h

2. Kristijan Durasek (Lampre - Merida) at 7s

3. Eduardo Sepúlveda (Bretagne - Séché Environnement) at 50s

4. Jay McCarthy (Tinkoff - Saxo) at 1m20s

5. Serge Pauwels (MTN - Qhubeka) at 1m23s

19. Miguel Angel LOPEZ MORENO (Astana)

20. Bakhtiyar KOZHATAYEV (Astana)

General Classification:

1. Davide Rebellin (CCC Spaindi Polowice), 165 km in 4h34m11s, Ave.  km/h

2. Kristijan Durasek (Lampre - Merida) at 7s

3. Eduardo Sepúlveda (Bretagne - Séché Environnement) at 50s

4. Jay McCarthy (Tinkoff - Saxo) at 1m20s

5. Serge Pauwels (MTN - Qhubeka) at 1m23s

18. Miguel Angel LOPEZ MORENO (Astana)

20. Bakhtiyar KOZHATAYEV (Astana)

Jerseys

Turquoise, sponsored by Spor Toto (General Classification): Davide Rebellin (CCC Sprandi Polowice)

Green, Salcano (Points): Mark Cavendish (Etixx - Quick Step)

Red, Turkish Airlines (Mountains):  Juan Pablo Valencia (Team Colombia,)

White, Vestel (Beauties of Turkey): Lluis Mas (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA)

Stage description

The race started In bright sunshine and warm, still conditions, and at high speed. Early attempts form the breakaway of the day spoke eloquently of the ambitions of some of the favourites: Serhiy Grechyn (Torku Şekerspor, dossard 205) chased by Jef Van Meirhaeghe of Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise, 176),  Boris Vallée (Lotto Soudal, 37) and Frederic Brun (Bretagne - Séché Environnement, 82), perhaps thinking of their respective team leaders, all tried and failed to get away.

Before the mountain prize at 34.0 km, an early breakaway of 5 riders formed: Marco Bandiera (Androni Giocattoli, 62), José Gonçalves (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA, 94), Juan Pablo Valencia (Team Colombia, dossard 118), Samuel Spokes (Drapac Professional Cycling, 127) and Songezo Jim (MTN - Qhubeka, 134).

The mountain prize at 34.0 km (Cat. 2) ended:

1. Juan Pablo Valencia (Team Colombia, dossard 118) 5 pts

2. Songezo Jim (MTN - Qhubeka, 134) 3 pts

3. Samuel Spokes (Drapac Professional Cycling, 127) 2 pts

4. José Gonçalves (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA, 94) 1 pt

With this, the Colombian Valencia took the provisional lead in the mountains competition.

The intermediate sprint after 50 km sprint finished:

1. Samuel Spokes (Drapac Professional Cycling, 127) 5 pts.

2. Marco Bandiera (Androni Giocattoli, 62) 3 pts

3. Songezo Jim (MTN - Qhubeka, 134) 1 pt

The result was largely irrelevant for the points competition overall.

The 5 breakaway riders achieved a maximum lead of no more than 4m10s.

The Beauties of Turkey sprint at Arykanda (km 99) ended:

1. José Gonçalves (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA, 94) 5 pts

2. Songezo Jim (MTN - Qhubeka, 134) 3 pts

3. Juan Pablo Valencia (Team Colombia, 118) 1 pt

Gonçalves moved to within 3 pts of the competition leaders Mas and Zurlo.

The Category 1 climb at km 108.7, dedicated to the memory of former Turkish cycling champion Rifat Çalinskan, finished:

1. Juan Pablo Valencia (Team Colombia, 118) 10 pts

2. Songezo Jim (MTN - Qhubeka, 134) 7 pts

3. José Gonçalves (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA, 94) 5 pts

4. Davide Frattini  (UnitedHealthcare, 184) 3 pts

5. Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff - Saxo, 13) 1 pt

Valencia added to his lead in the mountains competition: he now lay first, with 15 pts, with Jim in second place with 10 pts, and Gonçalves third with 6 pts.

The remains of the early breakaway ended at km 126, when seven riders, including Tom Boonen (Etixx - Quick Step, 2) and Thomas De Gent (Lotto Soudal, 35), joined the three remaining leaders.  Before the more general regrouping occurred, three riders from this leading 10-man group escaped:  Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff - Saxo, 13), Youcef Reguigui (MTN - Qhubeka, 136) and Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise, 178).

Those three were caught by the peloton, numbering in the region of 50 riders, with 11 km to go. With 9 km to go, as the peloton thinned, Lluis Mas (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA, 96), wearing the White Jersey of the leader in the Beauties of Turkey sprints competition, attacked. His attacked was neutralised with 7 km to go. Heiner Parra (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA, 97) and Davide Rebellin (CCC Sprandi Polowice,106) then attacked. Kristijan Durasek (Lampre - Merida, 21) joined them, to form a leading trio, with Enrico Barbin (Bardiani - CSF Pro Team, 151) and Jay McCarthy (Tinkoff - Saxo, 15) giving chase. There were still 6.5 km to go. Parra was then dropped by Duresek and Rebellin, and tagging onto Barbin and McCarthy.

The two leaders, however, were too strong, and Rebellin, with his fast finish, sealed victory, with Durasek second.

POST-STAGE COMMENTS: 

Davide Rebellin (CCC Sprindi Polowice), Winner, stage three

20 years after taking his first the Giro d’Italia stage and Maglia Rosa:  The emotion is always the same. I’m motivated for every race. I put  I put my heart into it and give the best of myself, especially on a finish like this that suits me. I’d say that my condition is better than last year, and I have the advantage that I knew the climb and I know the Tour of Turkey. I came here convinced that I could finish on the podium. Today was the hardest stage, although anything can still happen of course. Last year, I remember, I lost 10 secs in a banal stage finish, because of a split in the group. If I hadn’t lost those 10 seconds I could have been on the podium. There will not doubt be lots of attacks ahead, but I have faith in my team, and we have riders who are strong enough to take the race in hand and defend this lead.After a month without racing, you never quite know exactly where you are. Me and Fabio Sabatini did some big weeks training in the last few weeks. I’m at the same level as I was this time last year, when I won four stages.
Return to the Giro d’Italia? The Giro d’Italia is 3 weeks long, and very demanding. We have other programmes but my condition is good, and perhaps a good result could be possible, although I don’t mean in the General Classification. For the moment, my programme is as it is. Could it change? I don’t know. In any case, the season is long and lots of good races ahead.

Kristijan Durasek (Lampre - Merida)  2nd in the stage 

I tried to attack Rebellin twice, but he responded both times and got back on my wheel. That's the way it is. I haven't achieved the stage win I wanted today, but I coulnd't have done any more. And it's still a good result. 

Eduardo Sepúlveda (Bretagne - Séché Environnement), 3rd in the stage:

When Rebellin attacked, there were still 7km to go, and I didn’t go with them because I thought it better to attack much later, with 3km left to ride. I stuck to my plan and I believed I could ride across to them, but just didn’t have the strength. Did I learn anything from today’s stage? Only that I should have gone with them…

Lluis Mas (Caja Rural-RGA), leader in the Beauties of Turkey Sprints competition: 

On the first category climb, Pello Bilbao, who was our designated leader, had a puncture and couldn't get back to the peloton. At that point, the Colombian Heiner Parra took over as team leader. Three of us stayed with him to protect him. I accelerated at the start of the final climb in order the break up the group., which was still pretty big. Parra went with Rebellin and Durasek to start off with, but they climbed to quickly for him. He managed a top-ten finish all the same, which is a good result, and the race isn't over. There are still 5 stages for us to change the General Classification. As for me, I will keep riding for the White Jersey, looking for breakaways, even if it is not an easy competition to win because there is only one sprint a day."