Int'l Cycling Union Postpones 2017 Tour Of Turkey

The Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) postponed the 2017 Tour of Turkey that was scheduled for April, reportedly "after clashes with other races and the security situation prompted minimal interest from teams," according to SPORT24. The Tour of Turkey, which "takes place under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan," is an annual event and Turkey's "premier cycling race of the year." The UCI said in a statement that "the 2017 edition of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey has been postponed from its scheduled date in April." It did not give further details. But Turkish Cycling Federation President Erol Küçükbakırcı said earlier this month that he had asked the UCI for a "delay until October" due to the "congested cycling schedule." Cycling News said that this, "along with security concerns," meant "almost none of the 18 World Tour teams had accepted an invitation to the event" (SPORT24, 2/16).