After the Tour, the Second Half of the Season Begins
With the Tour now over, racing is also back in full swing for the other professional teams. For BIKE AID, the second half of the season began far away from Europe’s familiar cycling heartlands: in Kahramanmaraş, in the heart of Anatolia.
40 Degrees, Mountains and a New World for Us
A city of more than a million people not far from the Syrian border and only a few hundred kilometres from Aleppo. A region that very few of us would immediately associate with international cycling. And this was exactly where the first edition of the Tour of Kahramanmaraş took place.
With daily temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius, demanding roads and a spectacular landscape, returning to racing after the summer break was a real challenge.
At the same time, the trip once again gave us the opportunity to experience a country from a different perspective. We encountered deep rooted Turkish culture and remarkable hospitality. For a German team, such a journey also carries a special meaning. Generations of people from Turkey came to Germany, worked there and helped build the country we know today. Travelling through their homeland ourselves and meeting people locally gives us a different perspective.
Not Everything Went to Plan, But We Came Close
Sportingly, not everything went perfectly straight after the break. Injured riders, crashes and the extreme heat made the race even more demanding. Nevertheless, BIKE AID came close to a top result several times.
Kristiāns Belohvoščiks narrowly missed the podium with fourth place on a stage. Lennard Sternsdorff finished a strong 12th overall and took second place in the young rider classification.
We are particularly pleased with Lennard’s development. He came through the BIKE AID Development Team before stepping up to the professional squad and is gradually taking on an increasingly important role. He is developing into one of the key riders within the team.
The Second Half of the Season Has Only Just Begun
After a few days of recovery, BIKE AID will continue with a high level racing programme in Europe.
The summer break is over. The next stories are already waiting.
