Lampre Merida's Kristijan Durasek has won the 51st Presidential Tour Of Turkey, with Mark Cavendish the points jersey.
The final stage which had Kristijan Durasek of the Lampre - Merida as the leader with a twenty one second lead going into the final stage which was a 132.6km stage around Istanbul.
Eduardo Grosu, Boris Vallee, Kenny De Ketele and Carlos Quintero, who had replaced Kevin De Mesmaeker (Team Novo Nordisk) in the escape formed a break which was 1.45 clear with 55kms left.
That had dropped to 1.34 when former race leader Davide Rebelin had crashed and was forced to abandon as did his team mates - Jan Hirt and Stefan Schumacher.
Eduardo Grosu, Boris Vallee, Kenny De Ketele and Carlos Quintero stayed clear until just under five kilometres to go.
Lluis Mas (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA) shot out of the peloton with 1.3ms left and he went away to win in 2.45.03 with Mark Cavendish winning the sprint for second place and taking the Green Jersey in the process with Caja Rural's Carlos Barbero in third place.
Kristijan Durasek finished safely to win the race overall.
Mark Cavendish was delighted with the Green Jersey and The Etixx Quick Step rider, who will ride in the upcoming Tour of California, Tour De Suisse, British Championships and the Tour de France which starts in Utrecht in July, told the Tour Of Turkey Press Office: "I’m super happy to have won the Green Jersey.
"When Greipel won (at Marmaris in Stage 4), I expected to get over the climb and keep the green jersey. I’m glad to get it back not him on the last stage.
"’I'd have liked to have won the stage and we tried our hardest.but it was not to be.
"This year's Tour Of Turkey was similar to last year: a really nice race. A lot of World Tour races can take organisational ideas from the Tour of Turkeuy and put them to use. For me it’s one of the best organised races of the year, in a beautiful country. The riders come first here. It’s nice to come here. After my first time last year, I wanted to come back."
Race winner Kristijan Durasek of Lampre-Merida said: "To win the Tour Of Turkey means a lot. It’s my second victory for Lampre and I’m very happy with it.
"I knew that I was going well, but it’s difficult to say ‘I’ll win it’ before the race, because you never know. I came here for victory, like at a lot of races, but this time I have done it.
"I was really ill with a temperature of 38, a bad stomach and everything. I didn’t know if I’d start today or not. In the morning, I said to myself, I have to try. It was hard for me yesterday and today."
Final General Classification
1. Kristijan Durasek (Lampre - Merida)
2. Eduardo Sepúlveda (Bretagne - Séché Environnement) at 32”
3. Jay McCarthy (Tinkoff - Saxo) at 56”
4. Alex Cano (Colombia) at 1’30”
5. Serge Pauwels (MTN - Qhubeka) at 1’32”
Source: DSG
