ISTANBUL

Spanish cyclist Jose Manuel Diaz Gallego clinched the fifth stage of the 56th Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey on Thursday.

"I was confident for a good result but only 50 metres [164 feet] before the line I realised I could win. This is a very important win. It's the first of the team this year. Now we'll try to win the overall as well," Gallego was quoted as saying by the Tour of Turkey's Twitter account.

A member of the French Delko team, Gallego completed the 160.3-kilometer (99.6-mile) ride in four hours, 25 minutes and 25 seconds in the Antalya province on the Mediterranean Sea coast.

Australian rider Jay Vine of the Alpecin-Fenix team from Belgium finished in second place, while Argentine cyclist Eduardo Sepulveda of Italy's Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec team came third in the Kemer – Elmali (Gogubeli) stage.

The 56th Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey began in the central Konya province instead of Nevsehir because of the snowy weather in the region.

The sixth stage on the Fethiye – Marmaris track that has 129.1 kilometers ( 80.2 miles) will be held on Friday.

Tour stages:

Stage 1: Konya – Konya (72.4 kilometers, 45 miles)

Stage 2: Konya – Konya (144.9 kilometers, 90 miles)

Stage 3: Beysehir – Alanya (212.6 kilometers, 132 miles)

Stage 4: Alanya – Kemer (184.4 kilometers, 114.5 miles)

Stage 5: Kemer – Elmali (Gogubeli) (160.3 kilometers, 99.6 miles)

Stage 6: Fethiye – Marmaris (129.1 kilometers, 80.2 miles)

Stage 7: Marmaris – Turgutreis (180 kilometers, 111.8 miles)

Stage 8: Bodrum – Kusadasi (160.3 kilometers, 99.6 miles)