Edoardo Zambanini Secures Third Place in Antalya Queen Stage
Italian cyclist Edoardo Zambanini achieved an impressive third-place finish on stage 3 at the Tour of Antalya, contributing to an all-Italian podium at the challenging Tahtali finish. Zambanini’s performance also added to the Bahrain Victorious podium streak for a third consecutive day, showcasing his promising talent on the international cycling stage.
The 133.4km stage from Kemer to the demanding Tahtali finish included over 3,000m of elevation gain and saw an early break of five riders forming a significant gap over the peloton. Despite the controlled gap, the peloton regrouped at the foot of Tahtali with 30 riders left for the challenging climb.
The steep final section of the climb inhibited any early attacks, leading to a reduction to just 15 riders in the final 2km. Eventually, stage winner Piganzoli made a decisive attack, securing the victory. Zambanini finished 18 seconds behind in third place, expressing his gratitude for his team’s support throughout the stage.
Zambanini reflected on his performance, stating, “I feel good, really good on the stage. I’ve got to thank all my teammates, who took care of me and supported me all stage. The last climb was a bit strange because we started super hard and then we started to ‘sprint’ against each other.”
Zambanini added, “Then Piganzoli went with 3 to go, and we started to watch each other, so he arrived and I finished third. Again thanks to the staff and my teammates for their support today.” The Italian rider’s resilient performance at the Tour of Antalya highlights his potential for future successes in the competitive cycling circuit.
