HISTORY
Organized traditionally by Turkish Cycling Federation, Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey started in 1963 as “Marmara Tour,” it gained an international status for the first time in 1965 and was taken under the auspices of Presidential authority in 1966.
TOUR Chronology
1963
1963 it started as “1st Marmara Tour" (11-19 June 1963)
1964
1964 "2nd Marmara Tour" was limited to national participation just as it was in the first year.
1965
1965 It acquired a international identity as "1st International Marmara Tour" and it was accepted to be the starting date of Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey thanks to this feature, which changed its name in the following years.
1965
1965 Physical Training authorities visited President Cemal Gürsel and it became a current issue to take the tour under the auspices of Presidential authority
1966
1966 These studies produced result and the Tour was renamed anymore as "2nd International Presidential Marmara Cycling Tour."
1968
1968 Removing the term ‘’Marmara’’ from the title of the Tour, Turkey was underlined and the name of the race was started to be used as ‘’Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey” at international level in its fourth year.
1971
1971 In this year, some news appeared in the newspapers of that term about "4th ’Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey” Whereas, it was the ninth year of the tour when Marmara Tour is considered as the starting point of the tour, or it was the seventh year when 1965, which is the year in which international participation took place for the first time is considered.
1972
One year later, this time the name of the Tour was included as "8th ’Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey " in the same newspapers and this ranking has been followed in recent years.
2017
2017 Promoted to World Tour category by UCI tour will be organised for 53rd time.
2017 Promoted to World Tour category by UCI tour will be organised as a WT race event for the first time in its more than 50 years history.
2018
TUR was organized as a WT event for the second time with the participation of 9 WT Teams and 10 Pro Continental Teams
2019
TUR will be organized as a WT event on its new date between 16th and 21st of April