Frank van den Broek bags TUR 2024 win despite weather hurdles
THE ISTANBUL-Istanbul route of TUR 2024’s eight stage was canceled due to yesterday’s adverse weather conditions, with Frank van den Broek of DsmFirmenich PostNL, leading the general classification at the end of Stage 7, emerging as the tour’s winner.
The race, originally set to start from Beşiktaş Square, was called off by the organizing committee, athlete representative, team representative, and referee committee due to slippery roads following rainfall.
The race’s neutralized start was flagged off by Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Safa Koçoğlu, and Turkish Cycling Federation President Emin Müftüoğlu.
Cyclists would complete the route by doing one lap around Caddebostan beach instead of the planned five laps behind the leaders, finishing at Sultanahmet Square.
With the final lap neutralized, DsmFirmenich PostNL’s Frank van den Broek, leading the general classification at the end of stage 7, secured victory in the 59th Presidential Tour of Türkiye.
Dutch cyclist Frank van den Broek claimed the “turquoise jersey” with a time of 25 hours, 53 minutes, and 9 seconds.
Eritrean cyclist Merhawi Kudus from Terengganu finished second in the general classification, while British cyclist Paul Double from Polti Kometa took third place in the tour.
Due to the race being neutralized, it was announced that the prize money for this stage would be donated to a charity organization.
Frank van den Broek of Dsm-Firmenich PostNL, clinching the overall classification, earned the “turquoise jersey,” while his teammate, Danish cyclist Tobias Andresen, topped the sprint classification.
Andresen also claimed the “green jersey” awarded to the winner of the sprint classification.
German cyclist Vinzent Dorn from Bike Aid secured the “red jersey” for leading the climbing classification and the “white jersey” for topping the Türkiye Beauties classification.
Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team finished first in the teams’ general classification.
In 2022, the 57th Presidential Cycling Tour’s Istanbul-Istanbul stage was also neutralized due to adverse weather conditions, following a crash at the 25-kilometer (15.53-mile) mark in the race starting from Taksim Square, as requested by team coordinators and athletes due to safety concerns.