Tough Opening, First Podium of the Season
- Feb 17
- 2 min read
🇹🇷 Türkiye Cup Stage 1 – Alanya
Turkey Cup Stage 1 – Alanya
13–15 February 2026 | Tough Opening, First Podium of the Season
The first stage of the Turkey Cup Road Series took place in Alanya between 13–15 February 2026, presenting early-season challenges with changing conditions. While the opening day tested riders under heavy rain and strong winds, the final day delivered a fast and dynamic criterium under sunny skies and temperatures around 19–20°C.
Team ISS Cycling Team lined up with Recep Ünalan, Emre Kaplan and Adnan Ceyhan in Elite Men, and Ozan Özlem, Ahmet Eren, Umur Kara and Tufan Sağnak in Masters Men.
🌧️ Day 1 – Shortened Race, Strong Effort
Due to severe weather, the Elite Men’s road race was reduced to 86 km.
Emre Kaplan – 11th place
Adnan Ceyhan – 36th place
Recep Ünalan – 38th place
The team secured 5th place in the Team Classification, marking a solid start to the season.
⛔ Day 2 – Races Cancelled
Heavy rainfall caused flooding and landslide risks, leading to the cancellation of the second day’s races in the interest of rider safety.
☀️ Day 3 – High-Speed City Criterium
The final day featured city-center criterium races in sunny conditions and ideal racing temperatures. A fast and technical circuit demanded sharp positioning and tactical awareness.
🔹 Masters Men – First Podium of 2026
Ozan Özlem – 3rd place 🥉
Tufan Sağnak – 8th place
Ahmet Eren – 11th place
Umur Kara – 13th place
Ozan Özlem delivered the team’s first podium of the 2026 season.
🔹 Elite Men Criterium
Adnan Ceyhan – 27th place
Emre Kaplan – 28th place
Recep Ünalan – 34th place
The Elite squad maintained competitive pace and gained valuable race intensity ahead of upcoming events.
🎯 Overall Assessment
Alanya set the tone for the season: resilience under pressure, tactical discipline, and early podium success.
5th place in Elite Team Classification
First podium in Masters category
Strong race rhythm built across the squad
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