After bad luck in last year’s edition, when a crash dashed Davide Rebellin’s hopes of finishing on the podium, the Italian is returning to Tour of Turkey to erase the bad memories.

The course of the Turkish stage event has changed slightly compared to last year, with the race starting in Istambul and ending with a Selcuk climb. Thus, the general classification will be decided as late as the last day of racing.

During the 8-day competition, the peloton will visit Cappadocia, Alanya, Konya, Kemer, Marmaris and will tackle Elmali climb, where Davide Rebellin earned a win and took the leader's jersey in 2015.

The hard slopes of Selcuk and Elmali will be decisive in terms of the general classification. For that reason, CCC Sprandi Polkowice has lined up an 8-man roster with some climbing specialists, such as Rebelin, Jan Hirt and Sylwester Szmyd. Also after a serious injury, suffered early in the year, at the Dubai Tour, Branislau Samoilau is returning to racing.

Grzegorz Stępniak will want to make his presence known on flat stages. In previous editions sprinters have had many opportunities to shine and that should be the case also in 2016. The team will be rounded out by Mateusz Taciak, Nikolay Mihaylov and Leszek Pluciński.

Line-up of CCC Sprandi Polkowice for Tour of Turkey (24.04-1.05, 2.HC): 

Davide Rebellin, Sylwester Szmyd, Branislau Samoilau, Jan Hirt, Leszek Pluciński, Mateusz Taciak, Nikolay Mihaylov, Grzegorz Stępniak.