51St Presidential Cycling Tour Of Turkey Starts

The 51st Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey got underway Sunday in Turkey's Mediterranean resort town of Alanya.



The 165 riders in 21 teams from across the world will compete over eight stages, finishing in Istanbul on May 3. The first stage covers 145 kilometers (90 miles).



Last year's race was won by British cyclist Adam Yates, one of the Orica GreenEDGE riders.



British world champion Mark Cavendish, known as the 'fastest man on two wheels,' is taking part in the tour for the second time in his career.



Cavendish has won 25 Tour de France stages, placing him third on the all-time winners list of the world's most famous cycling race. He also plans to represent the Isle of Man in this year's Commonwealth Games in Scotland.



First organized in 1965 as the Marmara Cycling Tour, the Turkish tour has emerged as a showcase for Turkey's natural beauty and has been broadcast live by domestic and foreign TV channels since 2009.



Stages of 51st Presidential Cycling Tour: