Ivan Sosa wins 'queen stage' of Tour of Türkiye

Colombia’s Ivan Ramiro Sosa of Equipo Kern Pharma won Tuesday’s third stage — known as the “Queen stage” — of the Tour of Türkiye and took the overall general classification (GC) lead.

The 28-year-old rider completed the 132.7 kilometers (82.4 miles) Marmaris–Kiran route in three hours, 40 minutes and 25 seconds.

Sebastian Berwick of Team Caja Rural-Seguros RGA finished second, while Nicolas Breuillard of TotalEnergies placed third.

Speaking after the stage, Sosa said the closing section of the race was particularly demanding.

"I decided to go for it with five kilometers to go. It was a long effort and quite hot, but we managed to get ahead. There are very strong riders fighting for the general classification, and I am determined to defend my lead," he added.

Asked whether the result marked his first victory in more than three years since his injury and whether he was satisfied with his form, Sosa said he was pleased with his condition.

"This long period without winning made me stronger. During recovery, I knew I would come back stronger," the Colombian added.

Sosa underwent arterial surgery last year and was sidelined for nearly a year before returning to competition this season.

Leader jerseys

Cyclists competing in the Tour of Türkiye wear four different colored jerseys to reflect their standings in overall classification and stage-based categories.

The turquoise jersey is worn by the general classification leader, green by the best sprinter, white by the leader of the Beauties of Türkiye classification, and red by the best climber, also known as the “King of the Mountains.”

With Tuesday’s result, Sosa claimed both the turquoise and red jerseys.

The green jersey went to Belgian cyclist Tom Crabbe of Team Flanders-Baloise, while the white jersey remained with Polish rider Michal Pomorski of ATT Investments.

The eight-day race continues Wednesday with the 130.4 kilometers (81.0 miles) Marmaris–Fethiye stage.

Tour of Türkiye

The Tour of Türkiye is categorized as a ProSeries event on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Europe Tour calendar and is the only race in Türkiye at that level.

The route includes Mediterranean and Aegean coastal cities such as Izmir, Aydin, Mugla and Antalya.

Starting in Cesme, Izmir, and finishing in Türkiye’s capital Ankara on May 3, the race features 161 cyclists from 27 countries competing over a total distance of 1,133 kilometers (704 miles).