The organisers of the 52nd Presidential Tour of Turkey (or TUR, for short) have released the provisional entry list of teams and riders.
In keeping with tradition, the provisional roster includes an impressive list of sprinters, starting with the record holder for stage wins at the TUR, André Greipel, who has amassed ten victories since his first participation in 2010.
Greipel will be challenged by Sacha Modolo, a stage winner last year on the uphill finish at Pamukkale, and at Kuþadasý in 2012. The Southeast - Venezuela pairing of Jakub Mareczko and Manuel Belletti with hope to add to Belletti's stage winner at Marmaris in 2011, while TUR regular Daniele Colli, never a stage winner but five-times among the top five, will be looking to correct that in his fourth Presidential Tour of Turkey.
Contenders for overall victory include reigning champion Kristijan Durasek, last year's two mountain stage winners Davide Rebellin and Pello Bilbao, the former Argentine national champion and twice Tour de San Luis winner Daniel Díaz, and Australia's Adam Hansen, twice a top-ten GC finisher.
The definitive start list will be finalised tomorrow afternoon and published at around 1800 hours EET.
Provisional teams with selected riders:
2 WORLDTOUR TEAMS:
LOTTO SOUDAL (BEL): Andre Greipel, Adam Hansen
LAMPRE - MERIDA (ITA): Kristijan Durasek, Sacha Modolo
8 PROFESSIONAL CONTINENTAL TEAMS:
DELKO MARSEILLE PROVENCE KTM (FRA): Daniel Diaz, Remy Di Gregorio
SOUTHEAST - VENEZUELA (ITA): Jakub Mareczko, Manuel Belletti
VERVA ACTIVEJET PRO CYCLING TEAM (POL): Pawel Franczak
CAJA RURAL- SEGUROS RGA (ESP): Pello Bilbao. Lluis Mas
FUNVIC SOUL CYCLES - CARREFOUR (BRA): Antonio Piedra, Alex Diniz
TEAM ROTH (SUI): Nicolas Baldo, David Belda
NIPPO - VINI FANTINI (ITA): Daniele Colli, Antonio Nibali
CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE (POL): Davide Rebellin, Sylwester Szmyd
6 CONTINENTAL TEAMS:
TORKU ÞEKER SPOR (TUR): Örken Ahmet, Nazim Bakirci
PARKHOTEL VALKENBURG CONTINENTAL TEAM (NED): Massimo Graziato, Marco Zanotti
UNIEURO WILIER (ITA): Alessandro Malaguti, Mauro Finetto
ALPHA BALTIC - MARATONI.LV (LAT): Andris Smirnovs
HRINKOW ADVARICS CYCLEANGTEAM (AUT): Josef Benetseder. Andreas Graf
ASTANA CITY(TSE): Nurbolat Kulimbetov, Vadim Galeyev