Road: Assan Bazayev with flowers for Kazakhstan

Kazakh rider Assan Bazayev of Astana Cycling Team won the overall points classification of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey, stage cycling race, upgraded in 2008 to category 1. In the seventh and last stage, Bazayev finished 3th behind Max Richeze and André Schulze. Bazayev took over the green jersey from Italian Matteo Priamo, winner of two stages in Turkey. Assan Bazayev (27 years old and born in Astana) finished last week five times in the top ten. He received his flowers out of the hands of Turkish President Abdullah Gül. The next objective for the Kazakh rider is the Four Days of Dunkirk (May, 6th-11th).

On the same day, Russian rider Sergey Ivanov, finished in a strong way 7th in the Amstel Gold Race. Ivanov, having placed already 2nd in that race in 2002, showed his Astana shirt to the world while attacking 16 K from the finish. “It was a tactically perfect race,” commented Ivanov post-race. “On the Keutenberg I had cramps in both legs but I knew I had to stay with Pfannberger if I wanted to be in the front group in the last kilometers. I knew that it would be impossible to win in the sprint when I took a look around and saw the composition of our group: two CSC riders, two from Caisse d’Epargne and Cunego.” Now it’s off to Russia for Sergey for a well-deserved one week holiday, then straight to training again to get back on form for the Tours of Belgium and Luxemburg.