Elia Viviani will finalize his preparations for his big goals at the Giro d'Italia when he returns to the scene of his first professional win. The Italian is ready to face the stiff competition from the likes of Mark Cavendish and Andre Greipel at the Tour of Turkey and is motivated by the high level of the sprinting field in the race.

Italy’s Elia Viviani (Cannondale), one of the best sprinters in the world, is back to battle it out with Mark Cavendish and Andre Greipel in the race that revealed him to the cycling world in 2010: the Tour of Tukey

Elia Viviani, 25, is obviously keen to return to the race of his pro debut in 2010 and looking forward to take advantage of the eight stages between Alanya and Istanbul to work on his condition and his confidence before the Giro d’Italia starting a week later from Ireland. Five bunch sprints are quite possible.

“The Tour of Turkey is obviously a good chance for me to try and win again,” said the Italian, whose last victory was a stage in the Coppi and Bartali Week in March.

“On paper, several stages are within my reach and my goals is to be competitive in every one of them. It will be my last competition before the Giro and I hope to finish it in a better condition than at the start with the race rhythm in my legs,” he added.

On paper, like he said, the competition between sprinters looks even fiercer than in Italy with the presence of two sprint giants, Mark Cavendish and Andre Greipel, both back in action after forced breaks, but also an impressive general level for sprints with riders of such calibre as Sacha Modolo, Theo Bos, Andrea Guardini, Aidis Kruopis, Francesco Chicchi and a few more.

“Competition motivates me more than it frightens me,” Viviani insisted. “I believe confrontation with the best sprinters gives me a chance to express myself at 100 pc of my abilities.

"Personally I love challenges and the presence of big names at the start is exciting. A stage win in front of riders of that calibre would mean a lot and would be a great morale booster with the Giro in mind,” he said.

For Viviani, the Tour of Turkey will be a chance to return to the roads of his first professional race. In 2010, after a season start dedicated to the track with his national team, he had inaugurated his Liquigas jersey on the Presidential Tour of Turkey and won the seventh stage to Antalya after a finale marked by a crash and a controversy with compatriot Giovanni Visconti, who won the overall standings that year.

“It’s a great memory. To win on your pro debut is a dream for every rider. It was a tricky finale, with a crash, I found myself in front almost against my will and I had to play it fine tactically, a bit like on track. To return to Turkey has a special flavour for me,” the Verona-born rider said.