Tour of Turkey: Iván Sosa climbs to stage 3 victory and into the race lead on first summit finish

Iván Sosa claimed victory on stage 3 of the Tour of Turkey, securing both the stage win and the overall race lead after the first summit finish at Kiran. The Colombian rider, representing Kern Pharma, demonstrated superior climbing ability on the demanding 9km ascent with an average gradient of 9.7%, distancing himself from his rivals in the closing kilometres. Sebastian Berwick of Caja Rural-Seguros RGA finished second, nine seconds behind Sosa, while Nicolas Breuillard from TotalEnergies took third place, 15 seconds adrift. The stage marked the first significant general classification battle of the 2026 Tour of Turkey, following two days dominated by bunch sprints. Early on the climb, Sylvain Moniquet (Cofidis) attempted to break away, but the peloton, led by TotalEnergies, maintained a strong pace that gradually whittled down the group. The decisive move came with just under 5km remaining when Kamiel Bonneu (Solution Tech Nippo Rali) attacked, followed by Breuillard and then Sosa, who surged ahead to establish a solo lead that he maintained to the finish. As the climb progressed, Bonneu began to lose momentum in the final two kilometres, allowing Berwick and Breuillard to close in and overtake him. Despite showing signs of fatigue in the closing stages, Sosa held on to his advantage, crossing the line with a comfortable margin. His performance earned him the leader’s jersey, with a 13-second lead over Berwick and a 21-second advantage over Breuillard in the general classification standings. Looking ahead, the Tour of Turkey will shift focus to a flatter stage 4, concluding in Fethiye. This stage is unlikely to impact the overall standings as dramatically as the summit finish, offering opportunities for sprinters and riders seeking stage success. Sosa’s climb to the top of the leaderboard sets the stage for an intriguing battle as the race progresses through its varied terrain.