At just 18 years old, Samet Baştatar, a young cyclist from Kahramanmaraş, has already made a name for himself with national and international achievements.
Beginning of His Cycling Journey
Samet Baştatar took his first steps into the world of cycling after meeting professional riders and coaches at a local cycling event in Kahramanmaraş. From that day on, he started training with discipline, believed in himself, and steadily improved his performance. At the age of 15, he attracted attention by finishing third in a nationwide race in his category. This early success cemented Samet’s passion for cycling and pushed him toward bigger goals.
Challenges and Support
Like every athlete’s journey, Samet’s path was filled with both financial and emotional challenges. Professional cycling, with its high equipment and race travel costs, is an expensive pursuit. Samet occasionally faced serious limitations, but his coaches and the people around him always believed in him and offered unwavering support. Thanks to this encouragement, he never gave up and kept moving forward. At the end of 2024, the founding of the MCT NOX Mountain Bike Team in Kahramanmaraş opened new doors for young talents like Samet. Introduced in December 2024, MCT NOX became Turkey’s first UCI-certified professional MTB team, and Samet secured a place on the 2025 roster under the management of Veysel Gülmez. This gave Samet the opportunity to represent his hometown team on the international stage.
Samet expresses deep gratitude to everyone who supported him. “As long as the people who love me continue to support me, I’ll keep improving,” he says. He has always felt the power of the support behind him while overcoming challenges.
Education and Early Dreams
Beyond being an athlete, Samet continues his education. Currently a high school student, he balances school life with a rigorous training schedule. His childhood dream was actually very different: he wanted to become a pilot. “My true dream was to be a pilot, but life circumstances led me down a different path,” he explains. Although he couldn’t pursue that career, he found passion in cycling, which opened a new direction in his life. “I love what I do and I do it with joy,” he says, describing how this new passion replaced his old dream. As he continues his education and personal growth, he is also successfully advancing his professional athletic career.
National Achievements
One of Samet Baştatar’s biggest goals was to become the Turkish Champion — and he achieved that at a young age. In 2025, at the Turkish Mountain Bike Championship held in Sakarya, he claimed the national title in the Junior Men’s category by outperforming all his rivals. This victory was the result of years of hard work and brought great pride to his hometown of Kahramanmaraş.
Samet climbed the ladder of national success step by step. In 2024, at the Mountain Bike Eliminator (XCE) Turkish Championship held in Erzurum, despite being a junior athlete, he competed in the Elite Men’s category and finished third overall. This achievement earned him recognition within Turkey’s cycling community. With his cross-country (XCO) championship win in 2025, he firmly established himself at the top of his age category.
His success wasn’t limited to championship titles. Throughout the year, he frequently made podium appearances at Turkish Cup races and other national events. For instance, in June 2025, he finished second in the Junior Men’s category at an international MTB Cup held in Gebze, Kocaeli. In that race, his teammate came first, and Samet shared the podium with him, once again highlighting the rising talent coming from Kahramanmaraş.
International Experience and Success
Winning the national title elevated Samet to the next level: a place on the national team. Thanks to his outstanding performance, he was selected for the Turkish National Mountain Bike Team and began representing Turkey in international races. Despite being at the beginning of his career, he had the chance to compete in the World Cup circuit. In May 2025, he participated in the first stage of the MTB Eliminator World Cup held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Racing with fierce determination among elite global competitors, Samet finished the race in 11th place worldwide. In his own words, “I didn’t lose — I gained experience,” and he emphasized the immense pride he felt in representing the Turkish flag abroad.
This experience opened the doors to the international stage. In June 2025, he raced again wearing the national jersey at the World Cup stage in Belgium. He was also selected to represent Turkey at key regional events like the Balkan Championship. As he continued competing abroad, he gained more experience and recognition. Samet says he learns something new from every international race and uses those lessons to improve himself.
Goals and Dreams
Although Samet Baştatar is still at the beginning of his career, his goals already stretch beyond the horizon. In his own words, “I’m progressing step by step.” Here’s a look at what he’s aiming for:
- Becoming Turkish Champion – Already achieved in the Junior Men’s category.
- Securing a podium at the Balkan Championship – Aiming for a top-three finish in the regional competition.
- Breaking into the top 10 in Europe – To prove himself among the continent’s elite junior riders.
- Winning a European Championship – A long-term goal to earn the title of Europe’s best.
- Representing Turkey at the Olympics – His biggest dream is to race under the Turkish flag at the Olympic Games.
- Joining a top international pro team – Plans to continue his development and race professionally abroad.
- Winning a World Cup medal – Determined to raise the Turkish flag on the world stage.
This ambitious list shows just how determined and visionary Samet is as an athlete. His journey, which began with a national championship, now aims for global recognition. More importantly, he wants to win not only for himself, but for his country and everyone who believes in him. “When I win that medal, it won’t just be me — it will be a victory for everyone who supported me,” says Samet, reflecting his humility and team spirit.
Inspiring Future Generations
Samet Baştatar doesn’t view his success story as a conclusion, but rather a starting point. He hopes to inspire the next generation of cyclists in Kahramanmaraş and across Turkey. One of his biggest wishes is to become a role model for younger athletes. “I want the little ones coming after me to say, ‘Samet Abi made it — he’s doing it, he’s succeeding,’” he says with excitement in his eyes. He wants his achievements to instill belief in others: that success is possible.
Samet’s story is a vivid example of what can happen when passion meets perseverance. This cycling enthusiast from Kahramanmaraş is now pedaling toward the future — for himself and for his country. At Bir Başka Spor, we proudly support Samet Baştatar’s journey and hope to see more young talents like him emerge. As Turkey’s bright cycling star continues forward step by step, he’s also lighting the way for those who follow.
Note: This article was prepared by birbaskaspor.com