Bahrain Victorious kicked off the Tour of Antalya with a remarkable performance on Stage 1, securing a podium finish as 20-year-old Italian rider Alberto Bruttomesso claimed 3rd place in a sprint finish. 

The 135-kilometer stage from Side to Antalya promised a showdown for the sprinters, and Bruttomesso narrowly missed out on the top spot as he crossed the finish line behind Dupont (TIS) and Lonardi (PTK) in 2nd.

The stage was marked by an initial breakaway that was reeled in with approximately 30 kilometers to go, and a late attempt by the duo Reichenbach (TUD)-Geleijn (TDT) that was caught back by the peloton at 3km to go. 

The team’s Sports Director, Enrico Poitschke, praised the efforts of the entire Bahrain Victorious squad, emphasizing the importance of staying in optimal positions throughout the race. With a focus on rider safety and positioning in the midst of a 175-strong and young peloton, the team executed a well-thought-out plan to control breakaways and set the stage for Bruttomesso’s sprint.

Poitschke stated, “It was a good start for the team here. The plan was to let a small group go in the breakaway, and we worked well to control them. In the final, we could count on Scott and Govekar to do a very good lead-out, did it excellently.”

Despite an early start to the sprint, Bruttomesso showcased his determination and praised the team’s collective effort:

“I want to praise the team because everybody did a fantastic job throughout the day. Ahmed (Madan) worked alongside Alpecin and Corratec all day to control the breakaway and keep the race closed. Then Sergio (Tu) helped to bring us in front in the last 30 km. It was not an easy final part due to the narrow, wavy and wet roads, which could be dangerous. We started the sprint early, and I had to open it from far away, with about 250 meters to go. Although Cameron (Scott) did a perfect job of leading out, and Matevz (Govekar) did as well, we were too short, and I found myself uncovered soon. I gave everything in the sprint and I’m happy about this 3rd place. Let’s hope that in the remaining stages, we can do even better.”

With Stage 2 on the horizon, the team is gearing up for more challenges, including significant climbs. Sports Director Poitschke looks forward to the team’s continued strong performance, indicating that if tomorrow’s stage unfolds as a sprint, Matevz Govekar will have an opportunity to contend for a stage win.