Max Kanter (Astana Qazaqstan) took his first professional victory at the Tour of Turkey, winning on the rising finish in Kaş and then breaking into tears as he realised he ended his six-year wait for success.
Kanter was given a superb lead out by his Astana Qazaqstan teammate Davide Ballerini and then kicked to the finish line in the final hundred metres. Henri Uhlig (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was second and Tobias Lund Andresen (DSM Firmenich-PostNL) was third, with Ballerini fourth.
Stage 1 winner Fabio Jakobsen (DSM Firmenich-PostNL), Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) and several other sprinters finished in a large chase group several minutes behind, after being distanced on the major climb of the stage with 60 km to race.
Uhlig took the race leader’s jersey thanks to the time bonuses.
Kanter punished the air and screamed in celebration. Soon after, he was in tears as he realised he had finally won a professional race. His win came on the seventh anniversary of the tragic death of…