Etixx - Quick-Step rider Mark Cavendish took home the Green (Points) Jersey by placing 2nd in the final, 121km Stage 8 of Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey on Sunday. The British rider finished 2nd after launching from the front in the final few hundred meters in hopes of catching Luis Mas Bonet (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA).

Mas held on to win the final stage, after launching on a cobbled section of a highly technical final 1.6km of racing. First there was a 180-degree turn, followed by three turns before they even reached the final kilometer. Inside the final kilometer there were two more turns before the final 600 meters. Carlos Barbero (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA) was 3rd.

Etixx - Quick-Step rider Iljo Keisse did a large amount of work to chase down a four rider brekaway. The gap was at 24" with 7.4km to go, but the group was caught with 4.5km to go and the team was in control of the peloton at that point. Fabio Sabatini took a big pull on the front, with several Orica-GreenEDGE riders between Sabatini and Tom Boonen, Mark Renshaw, and Cavendish. However, Mas attacked just as Boonen was in control of the leadout, and the effort to try and chase down Mas meant Boonen and Renshaw worked earlier than expected. It was then up to Cavendish in the finishing straight to try and close the gap to the attacking rider.

Cavendish went into the stage with 46 points, trailing Daniele Ratto (UnitedHealthcare) by two. He sealed the Points Jersey by placing 2nd, while Ratto only managed 6th. Etixx - Quick-Step had a highly successful Tour of Turkey. Cavendish won three stages (1, 2, 7), placed 2nd in the 8th and final stage, and won the Points Jersey for the second consecutive year with 60 points.

"I'm super happy with getting the Green jersey at the end," Cavendish said. "The stage Andre Greipel won I expected to get over the big climb and I couldn't. I lost clutch of the Points Jersey that day, but I'm delighted to get it back on the last stage. I would have liked to win the stage today, but we tried our hardest. Luis went really strong at the end and I'm pleased we could finish on the podium and get back the Green Jersey.

"It was a really nice race at Tour of Turkey. I think other races could take organizational ideas from Tour of Turkey and put them to good use. For me it's one of the best organized races I do all year, in a beautiful country. The riders are put first. It's really nice to come here. I said the same kind of things last year and after this edition I want to keep coming back here.

"Now I fly directly to Tour of California to race there. After that I'll be racing Tour de Suisse, British Championships, and the Tour de France. I am looking forward to the next races in function of Le Tour. After that, it is not yet settled."