All that stands between Adam Yates and his first overall stage race win as a pro is Sunday's stage
- Elia Viviani wins sprint on stage seven as Mark Cavendish places third
Adam Yates (Orica-GreenEdge) is set to take his first overall stage race win as a professional. The 21-year-old British rider tops the general classification in the Tour of Turkey with just Sunday's stage remaining.
However, it's tight at the top - Yates leads second-placed Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) by just one second. With Sunday's stage set to be a final sprint showdown, it's unlikely that Taaramae can scrape the time back. Taaramae's team-mate Romain Hardy is third at 39 seconds.
Saturday's stage win was taken by Italian fastman Elia Viviani (Cannondale), who once again got the better of triple stage winner Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) to take his second victory.
Cavendish came home in third, behind Viviani and Andrea Guardini (Astana), but hangs on to the lead in the points classification.
The 2014 Presidential Tour of Turkey concludes on Sunday with a 121km flat stage around Istanbul.
Whether Yates takes the win or not, he has proven that he is already a significant force in hilly stage races in his first year as a professional.
Results Tour of Turkey 2014, stage seven: Kusadasi to Izmir, 132km 1. Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondalein 3-04-25
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2. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana
3. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma-QuickStep
4. Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto-Belisol
5. Theo Bos (Ned) Belkin
6. Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN-Qhubeka
7. Ahmet Orken (Tur) Torku
8. Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen
9. Ken Hanson (USA) UnitedHealthcare
10. Wouter Wippert (Ned) Drapac all same time
Overall classification after stage seven 1. Adam Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEdge in 27-51-22
2. Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis at 1 sec
3. Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis at 39 secs
4. Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale at 40 secs
5. Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Polsat at 44 secs
6. Juan Jose Cobo (Spa) Torku at 45 secs
7. Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Lampre-Merida at 45 secs
8. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caja Rural at 47 secs
9. Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Team at 54 secs
10. Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani-CSF at 1-04
Adam Yates chats to Rein Taaramae before the start of Stage 7 of the 2014 Tour of Turkey
(Image credit: Graham Watson)
Elia Viviani wins Stage 7 of the 2014 Tour of Turkey from Andrea Guardini and Mark Cavendish.
(Image credit: Graham Watson)
Andrea Guardini, Elia Viviani and Mark Cavendish on the podium after Stage 7 of the 2014 Tour of Turkey
