2023 Presidential Tour of Turkey

Now this was amazing!
As I said previously, as we headed out on our walk, it was obvious a cycle race of some sort was happening today. The Hippodrome/Sultanahmet Square was blocked off, banners were being put up.

When we returned after our walk, tents had popped up, cycle raceways were set up, major cameras in place.

As I sat down to lunch, what should pop up on my Google news? That Jay Vine of Australia won the sprint of the Presidential Tour of Turkey cycle race yesterday on a solo ride.
"Jay Vine has won stage 7 of the 2023 Tour of Turkey after an epic, long range solo attack to deny the sprinters.
With just over 25km to go, Jay Vine went on the attack, riding clear from the peloton on the final climb of the day, hoping to boost his hopes of securing King of the Mountains glory. The Australian crested the climb solo, taking maximum points in the process."
That told us what the race was! Today is the last day, it started elsewhere in Turkey on the 8th.

So we had lunch then came back to the hotel. We found the race on the Turkish TV and watched the last 40 km.

Jay Vine was in front again!! So that made it interesting for us as a race. On the TV though was all the streets and landmarks we'd seen on the Bus and Boat yesterday! Also, the race finished right next door to our hotel and the helicopter that was streaming the race on telly was right above us.
It was pretty exciting!

Jay didn't win today's leg but he did get King of the Mountain.
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!! 🦘 🇦🇺
We also had an interview with him but was voiced over by Turkish!! Heard him say in Aussie accent " at least I got something for the mantle piece!"

I have a good friend Gayle, who loves and lives cycle races. She couldn't live stream the race so I basically commentated the last stage for her! 😂

I think it was the last race of the seasonRead more