Australian Sebastian Berwick is the new leader of the Tour of Turkey — but post race vidoes show he really had to suffer for it. The 26-year-old Australian from Caja Rural-Seguros RGA had to dig as deep as he ever has on a brutal 21.4-kilometre climb to claw back 13 seconds on Iván Ramiro Sosa.
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The Colombian of Equipo Kern Pharma came up five seconds short in his defence. Berwick attacked with around three kilometres to go on the Feslikan, having sent his Caja Rural team to the front in an attempt to wear Sosa down first.
Sosa had led by 13 seconds going into the stage. Berwick finished 12 seconds ahead of him on the day, and the six bonus seconds for second place did the rest. After six stages, the Australian leads the race, with two stages remaining.
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Berwick finished on his knees
This was the first time the Feslikan had been used in professional racing, and it will surely not be the last. Riders arrived at the top completely spent, one by one. First stage winner Christian Bagatin, then Berwick.
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Berwick's effort had been planned for the final three kilometres — the steepest section of an already punishing climb. He went to the well three times and came back each time. But the effort cost him everything. He collapsed at the finish and needed a long time to recover before he could function again.
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
El arrojo de Berwick, nuevo líder por bonificaciones.
El martirio de Iván Sosa.
Y Christian Bagatin, destacadísimo representante del club de Eros Poli, ganando desde la fuga.
¡Qué etapa reina hemos vivido en el @tourofturkiye! Agonía a 2000m de altitud.
#LaCasaDelCiclismo
Sebastian Berwick se ha dejado la vida por este liderato.
@CajaRural_RGA acaricia el @tourofturkiye a 2100m de altitud tras el esfuerzo en apnea del australiano, al más puro estilo Stephen Roche.
#LaCasaDelCiclismo