Presidential cycling tour stats in İstanbul

The 2009 Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey started in Istanbul yesterday with the participation of 160 cyclists from 23 countries. A ceremony in Sultanahmet Square marking the start of the 45th annual tour was attended by President Abdullah Gul, State Minister for Youth and Sports Murat Basesgioglu, and Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler. Yesterday's 142-kilometer leg race was the tour's first stage, and will be followed by legs in Izmir-Kusadasi, Kusadasi-Bodrum, Bodrum-Marmaris, Marmaris-Fethiye, Fethiye-Finike, Finike-Antalya and Antalya-Alanya.