Van Hummel wins final stage in Turkey

Image 1 of 43

For the second day in a row, it was a sprint of giants at the Presidential Tour of Turkey and a fast man from a Pro Continental team managed to beat the three stars. Andre Greipel who thought he had won, Alessandro Petacchi and Tyler Farrar had to accept the domination of Kenny van Hummel while Colombian Juan Pablo Forero took the fifth position ahead of Allan Davis in Alanya. Race leader Alexander Efimkin stayed out of trouble to claim the overall victory.

“This is a fantastic feeling to beat these strong guys who have won stages at the Tour de France, the Giro and the Vuelta”, said an emotional Van Hummel.

“I’m still a bit surprised that I beat them but I knew my form was good. I was going better than usual in the mountains too. This is the time of the year I wanted to be on good form.”

Latest Videos From

“It was really hectic today”, he said. “I lost my lead out man, Tom Veelers, in the last kilometre, but suddenly, I saw a gap on the left side, so I sprinted at about the 250 metres sign. I wasn’t sure I had won because Greipel gave an indication that he was the stage winner. I’m very happy with this victory.” Greipel thought he had bagged a second stage win but as soon as he looked at the replay on the big screen, he admitted his loss. Andrea Guardini remained the only rider with two successes in eight days, as Alessandro Petacchi only managed to come third in a stage he initially wanted to skip but eventually contested because he had the green jersey on his shoulders.

“I’ve done a good sprint today”, the Italian veteran told Cyclingnews. “I just wasn’t fast enough. I’m afraid I’ve done too much of mountain training for winning a sprint here in Turkey, but I’m ready for the Giro d’Italia. With the help of Danilo Hondo to lead me out there, I’m confident that I can win some sprints at the Giro.”

Petacchi even went in the second significant breakaway of the last stage, following a move by Giairo Ermeti (Androni Giocattoli), Rob Goris (Vérandas Willems), Timon Seubert (NetApp), Sergio Lagana (De Rosa-Flaminia), Martinez Hernandez (Caja Rural), Manuel Ortega (Andalucia) and Ahmet Akdilek (Manisaspor).

Petacchi’s Lampre-ISD team let a six man group go at half way into the stage. Kenny De Haes (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Jempy Drucker (Vérandas Willems), Cristiano Benenati (De Rosa-Flaminia), Yann Huguet (Skil-Shimano), Andi Bajc (Manisaspor) and Daniel Petrov (Konya) rode at the front until 11 kilometres to go but weren’t allowed more than a one and half minute lead, so another bunch sprint was inevitable.

This is the scenario Efimkin wanted for securing his first victory since the Settimana Lombarda in 2007.

“This overall win means that we’re working well,” the 29-year-old Russian said. “Sometimes we make some mistakes as well but Team Type 1 has ridden here like gladiators. We’ve done something just as difficult as climbing over the great wall of China!” Efimkin reckoned this win will increase the ambition of his team as well as his. “We spoke about it with sport’s director Vassili Davidenko today,” the former rider from Ag2r-La Mondiale said.

“With good results, we can develop this team. I believe in our capacities to improve our status. We have planted a tree, it will grow and deliver good fruits.”

“We’ve demonstrated to be strong as a team”, he continued. “We acted here like true champions, so it will increase our ambitions for the coming Tour of California and Tour de Suisse.”

Astana’s Andrey Zeits from Kazakhstan and 20-year-old Frenchman Thibaut Pinot of FDJ completed the final podium of the 47th Presidential Tour of Turkey.

Full Results