“This was promising,” sports director Rene Andrle said after the finish of stage 5 in the Tour of Turkey. “Especially given the circumstances of this sprint.” Itamar Einhorn (finishing fifth) added, “We were close to the podium.”

Israel – Premier Tech’s lead-out was more on point than ever before in this year’s Tour of Turkey. Rick Zabel finished fourth, and was the team’s top finisher.

The lead-out man for Einhorn was not aware at all that the Israeli sprinter was right behind him. A massive crash in the last kilometer was the reason for that. It was a very messy, unorganized final.

Only a bunch of sprinters could compete for the stage victory. Zabel and Einhorn were among them. Others were held up in the tumble.

Einhorn: “We really worked well together today and it’s a pity that it did not quite result into a podium.”