Turkish Cycling Federation President Emin Müftüoğlu has highlighted the remarkable strides Turkish cycling has made in recent years, setting a clear goal for Olympic success.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Müftüoğlu reflected on the significant achievements in the sport, noting key investments in youth development and the growing ambition of Turkish cyclists.
“We’ve started to see the fruits of our labor,” he said, emphasizing the continued progress of the sport in the country.
Müftüoğlu celebrated the success of Turkish cyclists at the recent Balkan Track Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, where the national team earned numerous medals. “We’re now achieving major victories in the Balkans, especially in track cycling,” he added.
He also took pride in last year’s historic achievement at the European Championship, where Türkiye won its first-ever silver and bronze medals.
“Our focus is now on the Olympics,” he said. “We haven’t competed in track cycling at the Olympics since 1976, and that’s our primary goal.”
Türkiye’s road to Olympic success has been bolstered by the opening of the country’s first Olympic velodrome in Konya in 2022, a project championed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“We owe this accomplishment to our president and to our youth and sports minister, Osman Aşkın Bak, whose leadership made this possible,” he added.
As Türkiye’s cycling culture continues to evolve, Müftüoğlu is hopeful the country’s growing cycling success will lead to even greater achievements. “When we took charge in 2004, Türkiye couldn’t even send cyclists to the Olympics. Now, we’re heading to the Games. Our goal is to earn a medal in 2028, and at the latest, in 2032,” he said.
