Lampre's Sacha Modolo has won the fifth stage of the 51st Presidential Tour Of Turkey.
The stage saw Pamukkale being used as a stage finish for the first time since 2011 when Alessandro Petacchi triumped and on this 159km stage from Muglia, which had CCC Sprindi Polowice's Davide Rebelin in the lead, Thomas De Gendt, Bazzana and Veuchelen had a lead going into the final sixty kilometres.
They were caught with 54kms left and De Bie, Howson, Appollonio, Brun, F Ferrari, Berhane, Jim, Van Meihaeghe and Akdilek went on the attack before being brought back by Etixx Quick Step with thirty six kilometres left.
Luis Mas Bonet took the Beauty Sprint to extend his lead in the competition with 21kms to go as the peloton stayed together heading towards the finish line at Pamukkale where there is a World Heritage Site for its terraces of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by water from hot springs.
The pace was very high as Etixx and Tinkoff Saxo led the sprint the trains before an Androni rider tried an attack with 1.3kms left.
This was an uphill sprint and and there was a crash bur up the road, the Androni rider was caught and in a bunch sprint, Sacha Modolo took the win in 4.06.19 ahead of Carlos Barbero and Jay McCarthy.
Davide Rebelin, who finished in the top ten, continues to lead the race from Durasek.
Modolo said to Matt Rendall: "It has finally come and I am pleased about that. I have done it and I love to specialise in uphill finishes.
"This is a race I really enjoy. I had problems in Paris-Roubaix and but I am now back and looking forward to the Giro D'Italia as I like to win."
Tomorrow's stage is from Denizli to Selcuk and is 168kms.
Source: DSG
