C@ Brian Hodes/VeloImages

While the admittedly fantastic autumn classics are drawing most of the attention of the cycling world, we've got time for one more (well, two actually) world tour stage race: The Tour of Turkey! The Tour of Turkey is unabashedly itself, and that means wide open highways, gradual climbs, chaotic sprints and pro-contintal climbers taking the fight to a World Tour podium on the almost iconic climb at Selcuk. Today we´ve had the first stage, which finished not quite according to script, which proved a great predictive succes for our first stage preview! Let´s get ready for stage two, another one for the sprinters.

Let's go! Or, as they say in Turkey: 

Başla!

What a tactical masterclass today's sprint was, wasn't it? A lot of the race went as expected, with an early break being held on a tight leash by the sprinters' teams. The quintet consisted of one rider of the Turkish national team, a Burgos BH rider, a Topsport Baloise rider and finally two Euskadi-Murias riders. Topsport's Kenneth van Rooy took the intermediate sprint while Euskadi's Beñat Txoperena took both climbs, giving the Basque outfit a trip to the podium for the day. Aupa Beñat! Closer to the finish, the peloton started to close in on the escapees, but the Turkish national team wouldn't let the Beauties of Turkey points be gobbled up by bigger teams without a fight. National RR champ Onur Alkan took the white jersey home after an agressive lead-out by his teammates. 

From there on it rained attempts for long-range attacks, but the sprinters' teams did their work. Then, at an unexpected moment, disaster struck for Quickstep as their team leader crashed to the ground. In the middle of the pack, the Colombian sprinter rubbed wheels with a Topsport rider before crashing down, taking Gazprom's Trusov with him. Quickstep dissapeared as the trains of Bora, Sunweb and most prominently Trek Segafredo thundered forward. It was here Quickstep started an absolute sprinting masterclass. In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it move, the blue train reappeared and pulled the pack to a string. Behind them the mood turned sour as sprinters pushed and shoved generously to be the first in the wheel of Quickstep, with Trek disappearing completely. The designated sprinter for the Belgian outfit looked to be Richeze, who nevertheless launched before his lead-out man Hodeg fired up. The competition, confused by the other Colombian sprinter still in their midst, hesitated for a fraction of a second, exactly what Maximiliano needed to roll over the finishline victoriously.

Who could have predicted today´s outcome? Oh, right. 

The other sprint teams must feel really grumpy after today, but no worries: a rematch is already in the books. Stage two is as flat as it gets, although it also offers a great lesson in comparing stage profiles: 

Comparing the LaFlammeRouge profile with the official profile gives a very different view of the race, and we're definitely not looking at a puncher's finish today. What about the finish difficulty? Well, it's a mixed bag. There's a big roundabout at about 1300m to go. In itself it's pretty wide, but we've seen today what can happen when aggravated spirits run hot. The rest of the sprint is along a wide curve hugging the coast. Wind will meet the riders head on at first, then in the side. Being able to hide behind a bigger lead-out and keeping your head out of the wind until the last moment will be key here, even though the wind is not predicted to be extremely strong.

Sam Bennett must be the main contender. Second place today despite his main rival falling out must have been frustrating, so you can bet he'll do everything he'll can.

Edward Theuns looked to be leading Team Sunweb after all, with Nikias Arndt pulling on the front of the train. 

John Degenkolb will be more disappointed than Bennett even: his team showed dominance for a km or two, then melted like snow. That didn't look promising for the rest of the week!

Enrique Sanz had a great sprint. The team wasn't frugal with their energy today, but without KOM points to defend, they'll be all in for setting up Sanz' sprint today. 

Hodeg & Richeze will have to make out among themselves who gets to ride the Quickstep train today. My guess is Richeze will return the favour and work for Hodeg today, who'll profit from his smaller frame respective to Richeze's 1.75.

Brenton Jones was very agressive in that lead up, pushing up to his rivals more than once. It's not going to make him a liked man in the peloton, but it might just help him pull out another great placing. 

My bet is that a surpise will look to be in the making, with one of the minor sprinters (Jones, Garcia Cortina?) taking a lead from afar, only to be blown away in the final twenty meters. By whom? It will either be Bennett or Hodeg, and I think Hodeg will make it two out of two for Quickstep (leaving an angered Bennett to collect the points jersey and all sprint stages after, off course.). Who do you think will have the most to gain tomorrow? And are you already eyeing someone up for the final GC? Let me now!