Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Matteo Trentin, in his first race back since an injury to his scaphoid earlier in the season, earned a hard fought 2nd place in a sprint at the end of the 183km Stage 5 of Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey on Thursday.
Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) was again a victor, but Trentin was among other top sprinters and was able to get the next step on the podium. Nikias Ardnt (Argos-Shimano) was 3rd.
The peloton had worked to bring back the last rider remaining out of an eight rider breakaway with 10km to go. Serge Pauwels attacked with two other riders earlier in the stage, but was quickly brought back.
The 182km Stage 6 in Friday could be the decisive one for the GC. There is a Category 1 summit finish in Selcuk.
"I'm really happy about my race," said Trentin. "Greipel was unbeatable, I think we really did the maximum today. The race was super fast since the beginning. The group split in two parts immediately, but I managed to stay in the front. My condition is building and the injury to my scaphoid is now behind me. my goal is to improve prior to the Giro."