# 2018 Tour of Iran (Azerbaijan)

Tour of Iran (Azerbaijan) 2018 was a UCI Asia Tour 2.1 event and the 33rd edition of Tour of Iran (Azerbaijan) which took place in six stages between September 29-October 4, 2018 in Iranian Azerbaijan. The race started in the city of Tabriz and traveled through Urmia, Jolfa, and Sarein.

## Teams

Thirteen teams participated in the race. Each team had a maximum of six riders:
Continental teams
* Tarteletto–Isorex
* Tabriz Shahrdary Team
* Pishgaman Cycling Team
* AC Sparta Praha
* Vino–Astana Motors
* Staki–Technorama
* Alecto Cycling Team
* Bike Aid
* DFT Team
* Gun Ay Tabriz Team
National teams
* Azerbaijan
* Iran
* Russia

## Stages
### Stage 1

Tabriz – Urmia (150.1 km)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Mohammad Ganjkhanlou (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | 3h 25' 10" |
| 2 | Meron Abraham (ERI) | Bike Aid | s.t. |
| 3 | Dmitri Sokolov (RUS) | Russia | s.t. |
| 4 | Arman Kamyshev (KAZ) | Vino–Astana Motors | s.t. |
| 5 | Clint Hendricks (RSA) | Bike Aid | s.t. |
| 6 | Rick Ottema (NED) | Alé–Cipollini | s.t. |
| 7 | Nikita Sokolov (KAZ) | Vino–Astana Motors | s.t. |
| 8 | Ylber Sefa (ALB) | Tarteletto–Isorex | s.t. |
| 9 | Jan Stöhr (CZE) | AC Sparta Praha | s.t. |
| 10 | Abram Stockman (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Mohammad Ganjkhanlou (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | 3h 24' 54" |
| 2 | Meron Abraham (ERI) | Bike Aid | + 7" |
| 3 | Dmitri Sokolov (RUS) | Russia | + 12" |
| 4 | Rick Ottema (NED) | Alé–Cipollini | + 14" |
| 5 | Abram Stockman (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 15" |
| 6 | Arman Kamyshev (KAZ) | Vino–Astana Motors | + 16" |
| 7 | Clint Hendricks (RSA) | Bike Aid | s.t. |
| 8 | Nikita Sokolov (KAZ) | Vino–Astana Motors | s.t. |
| 9 | Ylber Sefa (ALB) | Tarteletto–Isorex | s.t. |
| 10 | Jan Stöhr (CZE) | AC Sparta Praha | s.t. |

### Stage 2

Urmia – Aras Free Zone (209.4 km)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Dmitri Sokolov (RUS) | Russia | 5h 14' 51" |
| 2 | Mohammad Rajablou (IRN) | Iran | + 1' 12" |
| 3 | Michiel Stockman (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | s.t. |
| 4 | Savva Novikov (RUS) | Russia | + 3' 26" |
| 5 | Marco Doets (NED) | Alé–Cipollini | + 3' 31" |
| 6 | Mohammad Ganjkhanlou (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 7 | Ylber Sefa (ALB) | Tarteletto–Isorex | s.t. |
| 8 | Meron Abraham (ERI) | Bike Aid | s.t. |
| 9 | Venantas Lašinis (LTU) | Staki–Technorama | s.t. |
| 10 | Mehdi Sohrabi (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Dmitri Sokolov (RUS) | Russia | 8h 39' 44" |
| 2 | Mohammad Ganjkhanlou (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | + 3' 32" |
| 3 | Meron Abraham (ERI) | Bike Aid | + 3' 39" |
| 4 | Rick Ottema (NED) | Alé–Cipollini | + 3' 46" |
| 5 | Abram Stockman (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 3' 47" |
| 6 | Ylber Sefa (ALB) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 3' 48" |
| 7 | Clint Hendricks (RSA) | Bike Aid | s.t. |
| 8 | Jan Stöhr (CZE) | AC Sparta Praha | s.t. |
| 9 | Venantas Lašinis (LTU) | Staki–Technorama | s.t. |
| 10 | Arman Kamyshev (KAZ) | Vino–Astana Motors | s.t. |

### Stage 3

Aras Free Zone – Tabriz (147.8 km)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alexander Vdovin (RUS) | Russia | 3h 34' 40" |
| 2 | Salim Kipkemboi (KEN) | Kenya | s.t. |
| 3 | Adne van Engelen (NED) | Bike Aid | + 6" |
| 4 | Savva Novikov (RUS) | Russia | + 15" |
| 5 | Niels De Rooze (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 29" |
| 6 | Sjors Dekker (NED) | Alé–Cipollini | + 1' 01" |
| 7 | Amir Kolahdozhagh (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 8 | Saeid Safarzadeh (IRN) | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | s.t. |
| 9 | Mohammad Ganjkhanlou (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | + 1' 10" |
| 10 | Clint Hendricks (RSA) | Bike Aid | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Dmitri Sokolov (RUS) | Russia | 12h 15' 45" |
| 2 | Mohammad Ganjkhanlou (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | + 3' 21" |
| 3 | Meron Abraham (ERI) | Bike Aid | + 3' 28" |
| 4 | Abram Stockman (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 3' 36" |
| 5 | Clint Hendricks (RSA) | Bike Aid | + 3' 37" |
| 6 | Jan Stöhr (CZE) | AC Sparta Praha | s.t. |
| 7 | Bahram Najafi (IRN) | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | s.t. |
| 8 | Nikita Sokolov (KAZ) | Vino–Astana Motors | + 3' 42" |
| 9 | Ylber Sefa (ALB) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 3' 44" |
| 10 | Venantas Lašinis (LTU) | Staki–Technorama | s.t. |

### Stage 4

Tabriz – Sarein (196.2 km)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Sjors Dekker (NED) | Alé–Cipollini | 4h 12' 56" |
| 2 | Kevin De Jonghe (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 13" |
| 3 | Meron Abraham (ERI) | Bike Aid | + 1' 42" |
| 4 | Amir Kolahdozhagh (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 5 | Saeid Safarzadeh (IRN) | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | s.t. |
| 6 | Savva Novikov (RUS) | Russia | + 1' 49" |
| 7 | Rick Ottema (NED) | Alé–Cipollini | + 1' 54" |
| 8 | Behnam Ariyan (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | s.t. |
| 9 | Clint Hendricks (RSA) | Bike Aid | s.t. |
| 10 | Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (KAZ) | Vino–Astana Motors | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Dmitri Sokolov (RUS) | Russia | 16h 30' 35" |
| 2 | Meron Abraham (ERI) | Bike Aid | + 3' 12" |
| 3 | Abram Stockman (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 3' 36" |
| 4 | Clint Hendricks (RSA) | Bike Aid | + 3' 37" |
| 5 | Jan Stöhr (CZE) | AC Sparta Praha | s.t. |
| 6 | Bahram Najafi (IRN) | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | s.t. |
| 7 | Nikita Sokolov (KAZ) | Vino–Astana Motors | + 3' 42" |
| 8 | Ylber Sefa (ALB) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 3' 44" |
| 9 | Venantas Lašinis (LTU) | Staki–Technorama | s.t. |
| 10 | Hamid Beikkhormizi (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | s.t. |

### Stage 5

Sarein – Tabriz (198.9 km)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Saeid Safarzadeh (IRN) | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | 5h 10' 53" |
| 2 | Savva Novikov (RUS) | Russia | + 11" |
| 3 | Jafar Alizadehchakhlou (IRN) | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | + 19" |
| 4 | Folkert Oostra (NED) | Alé–Cipollini | + 36" |
| 5 | Amir Kolahdozhagh (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | + 38" |
| 6 | Meron Abraham (ERI) | Bike Aid | s.t. |
| 7 | Ruben Scheire (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 41" |
| 8 | Arvin Moazzami (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | + 47" |
| 9 | Farhad Mokhtari (IRN) | Gun Ay Tabriz Team | + 49" |
| 10 | Adne van Engelen (NED) | Bike Aid | + 51" |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Dmitri Sokolov (RUS) | Russia | 21h 42' 42" |
| 2 | Meron Abraham (ERI) | Bike Aid | + 2' 36" |
| 3 | Venantas Lašinis (LTU) | Staki–Technorama | + 3' 24" |
| 4 | Nikita Sokolov (KAZ) | Vino–Astana Motors | + 3' 36" |
| 5 | Folkert Oostra (NED) | Alé–Cipollini | + 3' 39" |
| 6 | Jan Stöhr (CZE) | AC Sparta Praha | + 3' 40" |
| 7 | Bahram Najafi (IRN) | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | + 3' 44" |
| 8 | Hamid Beikkhormizi (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | + 3' 46" |
| 9 | Ylber Sefa (ALB) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 3' 47" |
| 10 | Abram Stockman (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 3' 56" |

### Stage 6

Tabriz – Tabriz (91.2 km)
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Mohammad Ganjkhanlou (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | 2h 06' 08" |
| 2 | Marco Doets (NED) | Alé–Cipollini | s.t. |
| 3 | Dmitri Sokolov (RUS) | Russia | s.t. |
| 4 | Olamaei Mahdi (IRN) | Iran | s.t. |
| 5 | Alexey Voloshin (KAZ) | Vino–Astana Motors | s.t. |
| 6 | Aleksandr Smirnov (RUS) | Russia | s.t. |
| 7 | Clint Hendricks (RSA) | Bike Aid | s.t. |
| 8 | Matthew Overste (NED) | Alé–Cipollini | s.t. |
| 9 | Bahram Najafi (IRN) | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | s.t. |
| 10 | Jan Stöhr (CZE) | AC Sparta Praha | s.t. |

## Final standings

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Dmitri Sokolov (RUS) | Russia | 23h 48' 46" |
| 2 | Meron Abraham (ERI) | Bike Aid | + 2' 40" |
| 3 | Venantas Lašinis (LTU) | Staki–Technorama | + 3' 28" |
| 4 | Nikita Sokolov (KAZ) | Vino–Astana Motors | + 3' 40" |
| 5 | Folkert Oostra (NED) | Alecto Cycling Team | + 3' 43" |
| 6 | Jan Stöhr (CZE) | AC Sparta Praha | + 3' 44" |
| 7 | Bahram Najafi (IRN) | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | + 3' 48" |
| 8 | Hamid Beikkhormizi (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | + 3' 50" |
| 9 | Ylber Sefa (ALB) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 3' 51" |
| 10 | Abram Stockman (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | + 4' 00" |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Saeid Safarzadeh (IRN) | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | 62 |
| 2 | Jafar Alizadehchakhlou (IRN) | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | 46 |
| 3 | Amir Kolahdozhagh (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | 39 |
| 4 | Savva Novikov (RUS) | Russia | 24 |
| 5 | Adne van Engelen (NED) | Bike Aid | 22 |
| 6 | Hamid Beikkhormizi (IRN) | Pishgaman Cycling Team | 22 |
| 7 | Kevin De Jonghe (BEL) | Tarteletto–Isorex | 13 |
| 8 | Sjors Dekker (NED) | Alecto Cycling Team | 12 |
| 9 | Folkert Oostra (NED) | Alecto Cycling Team | 11 |
| 10 | Ylber Sefa (ALB) | Tarteletto–Isorex | 10 |
| Rank | Team | Time |
| 1 | Tarteletto–Isorex | 71h 36' 58" |
| 2 | Russia | + 2' 34" |
| 3 | Alecto Cycling Team | + 2' 55" |
| 4 | Bike Aid | + 3' 10" |
| 5 | Pishgaman Cycling Team | + 3' 29" |
| 6 | AC Sparta Praha | + 8' 48" |
| 7 | Vino–Astana Motors | + 8' 54" |
| 8 | Tabriz Shahrdary Team | + 9' 27" |
| 9 | Iran | + 10' 27" |
| 10 | Gun Ay Tabriz Team | + 1h 02' 46" |