Mehmet ÇELİKTEN/MANAVGAT, (DHA) - The third stage of the CRI Turkey Winter Bicycle Races Series, Grand Prix Apollon Temple, organized by the TURKEY Bicycle Tourism Association, was run in the Manavgat district of Antalya.
The third stage of the CRI Turkey Winter Cycling Races, which is included in the 2024 activity calendar of the International Cycling Union UCI and the Turkish Cycling Federation, was held in the Ancient City of Side. The start of the race was given by Turkish Cycling Federation President Emin Müftüoğlu, Turkish Cycling Association President Recep Şamil Yaşacan, and Manavgat District Sports Director Süleyman Karakaya. In the race where 93 athletes from 16 local and foreign teams participated, the athletes pedaled 133.6 kilometers.
In the third stage of the CRI Turkey Winter Cycling Races Series, Grand Prix Apollon Temple, China came first in the team category, Spor Toto Cycling Team came second, and Sakarya Cycling Team came third. In the elite men's category, the first place went to Ma Bin Yan from China, the second place went to Serdar Anıl Depe from the Spor Toto Cycling team, and the third place went to Sergei Rostovtsev from the Sakarya cycling team. Mustafa Tarakçı from Konya Metropolitan Municipality Sports Club came first in the youngest athlete category.
'WE CREATE THE STEP OF IMPORTANT PROJECTS'
Emin Müftüoğlu, President of the Turkish Cycling Federation, said, "93 athletes from 14 countries competed. As 16 teams, we are creating important projects related to the promotion of our country and generating income from cycling tourism." District Sports Director Süleyman Karakaya stated that the organization will contribute to the promotion of the district and the widespread use of bicycles in the district.
Recep Şamil Yaşacan, President of the Turkish Cycling Association, said:
"There is a decision taken by the European Union, which has a turnover of 52 billion euros in Europe and aims to increase it to 75 billion euros. The organization will contribute to our country. We are trying to attract 10 percent of bicycle tourism in Europe to our country. Hotels, routes, historical places in our country "In our historical sites, national parks and mountains, organizations are held in January, February and March, which we call the dead season." (DHA)