Team Vorarlberg successful against the Turkish storm! Lukas Rüegg with great performance to third place on starting stage at Tour of Istanbul UCI 2.2

A somewhat different cycling world in the world metropolis Istanbul! The Tour of Istanbul, which was held for the first time in Turkey and was widely covered by the media, also marked the end of the season for Team Vorarlberg. The first stage with start and finish in Amavutköv over 176 kilometers and 2500 meters altitude, offered spectacular scenes.

With the starting signal the announced rain begins. Colin Stüssi immediately makes himself solo from the field. His team colleagues harness themselves in front of the field and make the race difficult from the beginning behind.

In the second half of the race, a heavy thunderstorm rains down on the 140-strong field. In the short, wind-exposed climbs, the peloton splinters again and again.

Lukas Rüegg up and away!

The European Championship starter Lukas Rüegg from Switzerland breaks away at kilometer 60 with the veteran Gianni Marchand (BEL/Team Tarteletto), and the Norwegian Gustav Wang (Team Suri), third in last week’s European Championship U23 time trial. They gain up to four minutes of advantage.

Thunderstorm can’t stop Rüegg – third place and leader of the mountain classification together with Meiler

The chase race of the competitors is opened. Rüegg, Marchand and Wang work perfectly together. Then such a violent thunderstorm follows that the race is about to be stopped. The escapees open the final. The Norwegian Gustav Wang can break away solo and wins. Lukas Rüegg sets a little too early. Marchand becomes second ahead of Rüegg. Chapeau Lukas!!!!

In the first part of the field, Jon Knolle (10th), Lukas Meiler (21st) and Moran Vermeulen (24th) complete another great team performance. Lukas Rüegg also takes over the mountains jersey, tied on points with namesake Meiler. The team is currently ranked third in the team classification.

The second stage tomorrow on the outskirts of Istanbul with start and finish in Sile over 135 kilometers, should be a preliminary decision. There are 2300 meters of altitude waiting. Here, the Vorarlbergers want to do everything possible to make the race as difficult as possible, just like today!

Stage overview:

28.09. Stage 1 Amavutköv – Amavutköv 176.7 km

29.09. Stage 2 Sile – Sile 134,9 Km

30.09. Stage 3 Beykoz – Beykoz 132 Km

01.10. Stage 4 Sultanhamet – Sultanhamet 92,9 Km

Result: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-of-istanbul/2023/stage-1

Race info: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-of-istanbul/2023