Ahmet Orken might only be about to embark on his first season as a professional with the Israel Cycling Academy, but he already has lofty ambitions. The 24-year-old fast man from Konya in Turkey is his country’s top rider and has his eyes set on sprinting’s cream of the crop on the world stage.
Short-term, he also wants to make history for his country by riding the Giro d’Italia next year, but as a rookie in the professional ranks, he adds that he’s more than willing to put in the graft and help out his teammates too.
“I am a sprinter so I want to be able to race against the best sprinters in the world. I would like to be successful against them,” he told Cyclingnews at the team’s camp in Israel last month, with Turkish journalist Ali Çolak assisting in translation. “Our racing schedule is not yet sorted but I want to help the team whenever I can and wherever I can. I accept that and if we get an invitation to ride the Giro then I would like to be the first Turkish rider to ride a Grand Tour and ride at the Giro.”
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Orken has already achieved a lot as the first rider from his country to sign a pro contract, having spent six seasons with his home team Konya Torku Şekerspor. As well as looking to out-gun the likes of Marcel Kittel and Fernando Gaviria in the bunch, he wants to use his success to help his compatriots reach the higher ranks of the sport.
“It is an example for the other riders in Turkey that if they work at it then they can race anywhere. I am happy to be an example for them.”
Being a professional was not an end goal to begin with for Orken. Cycling was more of a hobby. It was hard for local coaches to ignore him though, as he claimed victories in the road race and time trial in the novice category at the national championships and the Balkan championships at the age of 16. In 2010, he doubled up again at the national championships, this time in the junior category.
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