UAE Team Emirates’ Diego Ulissi successfully claimed victory at the Tour of Turkey.
The Italian won Stage Four and placed sixth in the final stage emerging as the overall winner to clinch his first World Tour victory and the 29th win of his career.
He produced a thrilling ride during the Queen Stage as he powered across the finish line to first place.
The victory elevated the 28-year-old to the top of the General Classification standings, setting him up for the overall win on Sunday.
Commenting on his win, Ulissi said: “Today was another day where my teammates showcased their spectacular efforts in supporting me and ensuring I remained in the front of the pack as we approached the final leg of the race.
“The final part of the race was the most critical and as a team we did well ensuring it went smoothly. I preferred to expend energy to remain in the front of the pack rather than run the risk of lagging behind.
“I came to Turkey with the intention to win the General Classification and here I am! It was a challenging goal that my teammates and I worked hard on all week. I would like to thank the entire team and our sponsors, I’ve closed out my season in the best way possible.”
RESULTS STAGE 6
1 Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo) – 3:24:32
2 Matteo Pelucchi (Bora-Hansgrohe) – 00:00:02
3 Francesco Gavazzi (Androni-Sidermec-Bottecchia) – “”
6 Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) – “”
FINAL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) – 26:32:15
2 Jesper Hansen (Astana) 00:00:12
3 Fausto Masnada (Androni-Sidermec-Bottecchia) – 00:00:24
The #TUR2017 🇹🇷 belongs to @DiegoUlissi !!! 🎉🏆🥇👍🎉