The fifth edition of the Tour of Istanbul begins Thursday with a 165.1-kilometer opening stage from Silivri to Çatalca, kicking off four days of international cycling across Istanbul and its surrounding districts.
The UCI Europe Tour 2.1 race, open to elite men and under-23 riders, will run through Sept. 6 under the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
The event is organized by the Turkish Cycling Federation with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Istanbul Governorship, Fatih Municipality, district municipalities, the Spor Toto Organisation Presidency, the UCI and Shimano.
The race headquarters are at the WOW Hotel Istanbul Airport, where teams completed rider confirmation and held their managers' meeting Wednesday ahead of the opening stage.
Four stages, four different challenges
