Tour of Turkey Stage 5: Late Attacks in Slightly Uphill Pamukkale Finish

Etixx - Quick-Step had a well organized leadout training going into the final few kilometers of 160km Stage 5 of Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey on Thursday, but few late race attacks at about 1km to go, and a slightly uphill finish, resulted in a small group deciding the stage with small gaps behind them. Mark Cavendish finished 15th.

Davide Appollonio (Androni Giocattoli) was the first to attack with 1.2km to go, and then Michal Kolar (Tinkoff-Saxo) went off the front and almost held his advantage until the line. But Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida) went on to win the stage out of a small group with a slight gap on the rest of the field. Carlos Barbero (Caja Rural) was 2nd, and Jay McCarthy (Tinkoff-Saxo) 3rd. Kolar was 4th.

Guillaume Van Keirsbulck did an incredible job for Etixx - Quick-Step yet again. The Belgian rider worked all day on the front and then used up all he had left in his legs in support of the leadout before finally dropping off at 3.6km to go in the stage. Etixx - Quick-Step had a full leadout for Cavendish, but the attacks and the uphill slope of the finish thwarted plans for a bunch arrival. 

Etixx - Quick-Step looks next to Stage 6 on Friday, which is another crucial day for the overall contenders. The 184km stage features the Category 1 finish in Selcuk, which is at an 8% average gradient inside about the final 5 kilometers of racing.