October 6, 2019 - British cyclist Adam Yates, a member of the Australian Mitchelton-Scott team, won the fifth stage of the CRO Race from Rabac to the 136-kilometer ascent to the top of Platak, and has also taken the overall lead.

HRT reports that Yates hit the finish line at 3:40:01, which was 10 seconds ahead of his closest companions, second-placed Italian David Villella (Astana) and third-placed Spaniard Victor De la Parte (CCC).

Before the final, sixth stage, which will run from Sveta Nedelja to St. Mark's Square in Zagreb (155km), Yates is 15 seconds faster than Villella in second, and 17 seconds ahead of De la Parte in third. 

“This was a stage that suited me; the team drove it well and prepared the ground for me to win. This is my first time performing in Croatia, and I am very pleased, the roads are excellent, the organization is top-notch and I hope to celebrate the overall victory tomorrow,” said Yates.

With this triumph, Yates took the overall lead and the green t-shirt for the best climber, while the blue t-shirt for the best sprinter was kept by teammate Australian Alexander Edmondson (Mitchelton-Scott). The best young cyclist and the white shirt was awarded to Kazakhstani cyclist Vadim Pronski (Astana).

Croatian veteran, 40-year-old Radoslav Rogina (Adria Mobil), in the day before the final stage, finished 10th overall, 1:50 minutes behind Yates.

The fifth leg of the CRO Race began in Rabac, close to the Valamar Hotel Complex, and started when riders arrived at the foot of the old town of Labin, where the first target was located. Slovenian champion Domen Novak (Bahrain-Merida) came first, ahead of Australian Benjamin Hill (Ljubljana Gusto Santic) and Dutchman Lars van den Berg (Metec-TKH).

After about 20 kilometers, a group of 11 drivers stood out from the peloton, none of whom were dangerous in the overall order. However, at no point did the 11-man lead manage to gain an advantage of more than three minutes, and their escape was already completed at the beginning of the climb to Ucka, 70 kilometers before the finish.

The flight for the overall victory had already started in Ucka, and in the second half of the 10km climb were favorites Briton Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), Italian David Villella (Astana), Spaniard Victor De la Parte ( CCC), Frenchman Alexis Guerin (Delco Marseille), Australian Nathan Earle (Israel Cycling Academy) and Slovene Domen Novak (Bahrain-Merida). Still, De la Parte's teammate Riccardo Zoidl (CCC) moved to the front at Ucka Nature Park, ahead of Slovene Domen Novak (Bahrain-Merida) and Australian Callum Scott (Mitchelton-Scott).

However, during the descent from Ucka and on the way to Opatija, the favorites slowed their pace and allowed several riders to return to the leading group. A small lull in the fight for the overall win was used by Spanish veteran Ruben Plaza (Israel Cycling Academy), who pushed to first in Opatija ahead of Kazakhstani Vadim Pronsky (Astana) and Frenchman Alexis Guerin (Delco Marseille). By the next target in Rijeka, a group of three cyclists was formed, and the first to hit Korzo was Slovenian Grega Bole (Bahrain-Merida).

The sprinter Bole soon led the group, and Pacher and Plaza managed to take the road toward Platak with about half a minute ahead of the peloton. Neither of them remained in the lead for long, and immediately after Plaza was swarmed by the main group, his Swiss teammate Matteo Badilatti attacked.

Badilatti's adventure lasted only until five kilometers before the finish line when the favorite for the overall victory, Adam Yates, decided to justify his status as the lead. Yates attacked forcefully and in just 200 meters, produced a 20-second advantage over his closest competitors. The hunt for Yates started by Novak, but in the last kilometer, he relented, and Villella, De la Parte and Rolland caught up. 

The sixth, final stage (154 km) ends on Sunday in Zagreb. This year, Sveta Nedelja was chosen as the start, after which cyclists will head to Zagreb, Velika Gorica, Dugo Selo, Vrbovec and Sveti Ivan Zelina, and return to Zagreb through the eastern part of Zagreb County to finish at St. Mark's Square. 

RESULTS

1.  Adam Yates  (VB/MTS)        3:40:01       

2.   Davide Villella (ITA/AST)         +10 sec          

3.   Victor de la Parte Gonzalez (ŠPA/CCC)                    

4.   Pierre Rolland (VCB/FRA)                    

5.   Domen  Novak (SLO/TBM)         +11          

6.    Nathan  Earle (AUS/ICA)         +17

OVERALL

1.  Adam Yates  (VB/MTS)                 

2.   Davide Villella (ITA/AST)        +15 sec          

3.   Victor de la Parte Gonzalez (ŠPA/CCC) +17

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

October 5, 2019 - Serbian road cycling champion Dusan Rajovic, a member of the Slovenian Adria Mobil team, won the 155-kilometer fourth stage of the CRO Race, which traveled from Starigrad-Paklenica to Crikvenica on Friday. Kazakhstani cyclist Yevgeniy Gidich of the Astana team leads in the overall standings.

HRT reports that Rajovic, the winner of this year's edition of the Croatia-Slovenia race, was convincingly faster in the final sprint in Crikvenica than second-placed Italian Paolo Simion (Bardiani CSF) and Australian Heinrich Haussler (Bahrain-Merida) in third. In addition to the top three, the only cyclists to receive the same time was the 2015 Tour of Croatia winner, Maciej Paterski (Wibatech Merx), who jumped to third place in the overall standings.

Croatian champion Josip Rumac (Androni Giocattoli) also achieved an excellent result in the fourth stage, finishing sixth just four seconds behind the winner.

After the four stages, Gidich leads six seconds ahead of the second-placed Australian Alexander Edmondson (Mitchelton-Scott), and 12 seconds ahead of Paterski in third. 

Austrian Markus Wildauer (Tirol KTM) keeps his green shirt for the best climber, while German Georg Zimmermann (CCC) wears white as the best young cyclist, and Australian Alexander Edmondson (Mitchelton-Scott) wears blue.

The fourth stage drove along the Adriatic highway from Starigrad in Paklenica National Park to the center of Crikvenica.

The cyclists used the beautiful weather to their advantage, and during the first hour, the average speed was as high as 48.7 kilometers per hour. The leading cyclists managed to escape from the group after 40 kilometers, and they included Italians Mirko Maestri (Bardiani CSF) and Samuel Rivi (Tirol KTM), Canadian Alexander Cataford (Israel Cycling Academy), Austrian Matthias Krizek (Felbermayr Simplon) and German John Mandrysch (P&S Metalltechnik).

These five quickly created a three-and-a-half-minute advantage, but couldn't move further, as Krizek and Mandrysch were only 2:24 minutes behind the leading Kazakhstani Yevgeny Gidich (Astana) in the overall order. Astana came to the forefront of the leading group and controlled the difference. Cataford was the best in the climb, while Mandrysch was first approaching Crikvenica. 

Just before the start of the second ascent to Dramalj, Slovene Jan Tratnik (Bahrain-Merida) stood out from the leading group. Tratnik managed to stay in the lead until a kilometer before the finish when the group finally caught up. A technically demanding finish followed in Crikvenica with three tight turns that caused the fall of a few drivers. Rajovic did best in the chaos.

RESULTS

1. Dusan Rajovic (ADR/SRB) 3:30:24 

2. Paolo Simion (BRD/ITA)

3. Heinrich Haussler (TBM/AUS)

4. Maciej Paterski (WIB/POL) all with the same time

5. Alexander Edmonson ( MTS/AUS) +4 sec

6. Josip Rumac (ANS/HRV)

OVERALL

1. Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ)

2. Alexander Edmondson (AUS) + 6

3. Maciej Paterski (POL) +12

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

October 4, 2019 - Kazakhstani cyclist Yevgeny Gidich, a member of the Astana team, won the third stage of the CRO Race cycling tour, which started in Okrug and ended in Makarska on Thursday but was shortened from 165 to 66 kilometers due to bad weather.

HRT reports that the Astana member won the final sprint with a time of 1:32:21 ahead of Slovenian Grega Bole (TBM Bahrain Merida) and Australian Alexander Edmondson (MTS Mitchelton Scott). 

Gidich also took the lead in the overall standings with six seconds ahead of second-placed Edmondson.

Edmondson took the blue shirt for best sprinter, the new leader for the best young rider is German Georg Zimmermann (CCC), while Austrian Markus Wildauer (Tirol-KTM) retains the green t-shirt for best climber.

Of the original 165 kilometers in the third stage, which was driven entirely through Split-Dalmatia County, only about 60 kilometers could be completed due to bad weather. Unfortunately, at the start of the third stage, not one of the favorites for the overall victory before the start of the CRO Race could be seen. Namely, Slovenian Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Merida), had to retire due to injuries sustained in the fall after the end of the second stage in Zadar.

Shortly after the start in Okrug, the stage was neutralized for three hours due to high winds. Drivers were transferred by team cars and buses to Baska Voda where the race continued, and the cyclists completed the last 47 kilometers.

Even before the race was interuppteed, six cyclists stood out from the peloton, creating just over two minutes of an advantage. Among them was the leading duo in the standings for the best climber, Austrian Markus Wildauer (Tyrol KTM) and Australian Benjamin Hill (Ljubljana Gusto Santic), Austrians Stephan Rabitsch (Felbermayr Simplon) and Dominik Hrinkow (Hrinkow Advarics), Dutchman Lars van den Berg (Metec-TKH) and German Robert Jageler (P&S Metalltechnik).

After the restart, the leading six managed to retain the 1:30 minute lead until the first finish line on the Makarska Riva. Still, already in Podgora, that advantage fell below a minute - and already in the first kilometers of ascent to Biokovo, Wildauer dropped from the leading six. Hill soon followed, with only Rabitsch and Van den Berg at the helm. Rabitsch was the first to cross the second category climb at Biokovo, while Van der Berg was captured by a group of favorites just 10 meters before the summit. The second place on the climb was taken by Briton Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), and third by David Villel (Astana).

In the last 10 kilometers, on the downhill towards Makarska, the leading group of cyclists increased from seven to almost 30, and the fastest in the final sprint was Gidich.

The fourth stage will run on the 155-kilometer route from Starigrad-Paklenica to Crikvenica on Friday. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

October 3, 2019 - Gol.hr reports that Romanian cyclist Eduard-Michael Grosu, a member of the French Delko Marseille team, won the second stage of the CRO Race, which ran on Wednesday on the 183 km route from Slunj to Zadar. Grosu also took the overall lead in the stage.

Grosu also celebrated in Zadar last year. With a good knowledge of the final kilometers, he attacked a kilometer ahead of the finish line, quickly acquiring the 20-meter advantage he managed to keep to the finish. The second place went to Australian Alexander Edmondson from the Mitchelton-Scott team and third to the first stage winner Slovenian Marko Kump from Adria Mobil.

In the third stage, the blue t-shirt intended for the best sprinter will be worn by Kump, the green by Austrian Markus Wildauer (Tyrol KTM), and white by Kazakhstani Vadim Pronski (Astana).

The second stage of this year's CRO Race took cyclists through two national parks, Plitvice Lakes and Northern Velebit.

The town of Slunj justified its status as an extremely hospitable host at the start of the second stage. The numerous locals warmly greeted the cyclists in the center of the town before the start and wished them a happy journey. The beginning of the race was signaled by the mayor of Slunj, Jure Katić, and very soon after, five cyclists stood out from the leading group - Austrians Markus Wildauer (Tyrol KTM), Daniel Lehner (Felbermayr Simplon), Dominic Hrinkow (Hrinkow Advarics), Australian Benjamin Hill (Ljubljana Gusto Santic) and Dutchman Jens van den Dool (Metec-TKH).

The five quickly built up an advantage of over five and a half minutes and scored points after passing the first goal entering Plitvice Lakes National Park, and at Jezerce five kilometers later.

Unfortunately, adverse weather conditions followed the cyclists as they continued. After passing through the refreshment area in the middle of the stage, heavy rain began to fall, and the temperature dropped significantly. With the fall in temperature, the leaders of the group started to weaken. At the beginning of the second ascent of the day in the Velebit Nature Park, the peloton was just over two minutes ahead, led by the Slovenian team Adria Mobil. Delko Marseille and Vital Concept took the lead in the leading group, reducing the edge of the top five to just 47 seconds.

Fortunately, during the descent from Velebit to Maslenica, the weather subsided and the rain stopped.

Soon afterward, seven cyclists stood out from the leading group - Austrians Florian Kierner and Stephan Rabitsch (Felbermayr Simplon), Dutchmen Dylan Bouwans and Stef Krul (Metec-TKH), Frenchman Matthieu Jeannes (Illuminate), Polak Maciej Paterski (Wibatech Merx) and German Jonathan Dinkler (P&S Metalltechnik).

At no point was their advantage greater than a minute, so Kierner, Rabitsch and Dinkler soon gave up the run, while Bouwmans, Krul, Jeannes and Paterski persisted for the last six kilometers before the finish. The leading four were ahead by about 10 seconds. Eduard-Michael Grosu ultimately came out on top. 

Results

1. Eduard-Michael Grosu (Rum/DMP) 4:24:39
2. Alexander Edmondson (Aus/MTS) +3
3. Marko Kump (Slo/ ADR)
4. Mattia Frapporti (Ita/ANS)
5. Matej Mohorič (Slo/TBM)
6. John Mandrysch (Njem/PUS)
7. Paolo Simion (Ita/BRD)
8. Timon Loderer (Njem/HAC)
9. Heinrich Haussler (Aus/TBM)
10. Bert de Backer (Bel/VCB) 

Overall Results 

1. Eduard-Michael Grosu (Rum/DMP) 8:51:52
2. Marko Kump (Slo/ ADR) +5
3. Alexander Edmondson (Aus/MTS) +13
4. Jevghenij Gidič (Kaz/AST) +13
5. Matej Mohorič (Slo/TBM) +14
6. Alexis Guerin (Fra/DMP) +17
7. Adam Yates (VB/MTS) +18
8. Arvid de Kleijn (Niz/MET) +19...

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN”s dedicated page. 

October 2, 2019 - Slovenian cyclist Marko Kump, a member of the Adria Mobil team, won the first stage of the CRO Race cycling tour from Osijek to Lipik, which was 200 kilometers long.

Gol.hr reports that Marko Kump was faster than runner-up Kazakhstani Yevgeny Gidich of the Astana team by a few millimeters in the final sprint, while Romania's Eduard-Michael Grosu, a member of France's Delko Marseille, took third place.

This is the second stage victory for Kump on this Croatian tour, where he also won the second stage in 2015.

Croatian veteran 40-year-old Radoslav Rogina also played a major role in Kump's victory and pulled the main group up to the finish line to give his sprinter an excellent position for the finish.

"The team did a great job for me, especially Rogina who put me in the ideal position. I may have started 50 meters too early, but I believed I would be able to win," Kump said.

The other Croatian representative, Josip Rumac (Androni Giocattoli), who finished in ninth place, was also excellent in the first stage. 

With a 10-second bonus for the stage victory, Kump also became the first CRO Race leader and will wear a red t-shirt on Wednesday.

From the very start of this year's race, it was evident that the biggest contenders for the overall victory, British cyclist Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) and Slovenian Matej Mohoric (Bahrain), did not want to leave anything to chance. Passing the second goal in Kutjevo, they fought for bonus seconds - Mohoric won second place and two bonus seconds, and Yates third and one bonus second.

The first mountain finish in Gradac Nasicki was won by Austrian Markus Wildauer (Tyrol KTM) ahead of Italian Mauro Finetto (Delko Marseille) and Frenchman Quentin Pacher (Vital Concept). In the middle of the stage, three cyclists stood out from the leading group, Frenchman Alexis Guerin (Delko Marseille), Austrian Florian Kierner (Felbermayr Simplon Wels) and German Tobias Nolde (P&S Metalltechnik), who quickly created an advantage of more than four minutes. The three of them shared points on the third pass in Pozega, 60 kilometers before the finish. The first was Nolde, the second Guerin, and the third Kierner.

After this passing goal, the main group reduced the gap to two and a half minutes for Guerin and Kierner to lose contact with Nolde, leaving the young 20-year-old German at the forefront of the race.

Nodle was the first to cross the hill target at Bucje, and from the peloton, Wildauer stood out on the climb, securing second place at Bucje and first place in the category for the best climb at the end of the stage, and will wear a green t-shirt in the second stage. Wildauer persisted in his escape even after the hill and overtook Nolde 20 kilometers before the finish. Wildauer managed to keep himself in the lead until about five kilometers before the finish in Lipik when the leading group of cyclists swallowed him.

The second stage is scheduled to start on Wednesday from Slunj with the finish in Zadar, after cyclists pass the 186 km route through Plitvice Lakes National Park and Velebit Nature Park.

CRO Race - Stage One (Osijek - Lipik, 200 km)

1. Marko Kump (Slo/Adria Mobil) 4:27:29
2. Jevgenij Gidič (Kaz/Astana) same time
3. Eduard-Michael Grosu (Rum/Delko Marseille) "
4. John Mandrysch (Njem/P & S Metalltechnik) "
5. Alexander Edmondson (AUS/Mitchelton-Scott) "
6. Arvid de Kleijn (Niz/Metec-TKH) "
7. Cyril Gautier (Fra/Vital Concept) "
8. Rok Korošec (Slo/Ljubljana Gusto Santic) "
9. JOSIP RUMAC (HRV/Androni Giocattoli) "
10. Matej Mohorič (Slo/Bahrain-Merida) "

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

October 1, 2019 - On Tuesday at 12:10 pm, the first stage of the cycling spectacle CRO Race will set off from Osijek to Lipik. 

“When we started the project, we were aiming for the spring so our race could serve as a preparation for the 'Giro d'Italia', but now we see that this week is ideal and a hole-in-one after the World Cup and the final 'WorldTour' races like Lombardy,” said race director Vladimir Miholjevic.

HRT reports that the new racing term has also brought about a change in concept - and given the end of the season, there are no longer extreme and extensive stages. The longest stage will be precisely the first section from Osijek to Lipik, which is 200 kilometers long, while by the end of the week, the cyclists will ride another stage that is 183 kilometers (Slunj-Zadar). Three stages are about 150 kilometers (Okrug-Makarska, Starigrad- Crikvenica and Sveta Nedelja-Zagreb), while the "royal" fifth stage with the highest climb from Rabac to Platak will be only 136 kilometers long.

The biggest names on the start list for this year's CRO Race are Britain's Adam Yates, a member of the Australian Mitchelton-Scott team and Slovenian Matej Mohoric, a Bahrain-Meride driver.

Among the 117 cyclists will be only two Croats, 40-year-old Radoslav Rogina from the Slovenian team Adria Mobil and 24-year-old Josip Rumac, a member of the Italian squad Androni Giocattoli.

This is the fifth consecutive edition of the cycling race through Croatia, which is being held under the new name Cro Race, and in a new term from October 1-6. 

Like in previous years, the race will be broadcast daily by Croatian Radio and Television with ten hours of live television broadcasts and a total of three hours of recaps. The live show will also be on Eurosport and, thanks to the collaboration with A.S.O., will broadcast on numerous television stations from as many as six continents - in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia - in as many as 190 countries, some of which will also show a live broadcast.

New this year is that for the US racing market, the race will be streamed live via GCN, the largest cycling online video site. In addition, the race will also be shown on a number of intercontinental airlines.

The organizer of the race is Top Sport Events, which has already proven itself to be a successful organizer of the last four editions of 'Tour of Croatia', led by the celebrated former Croatian cyclist Vladimir Miholjevic. "I thank all state institutions, counties, and cities, partners and sponsors for staying with us and supporting this project, and I am also pleased to be surrounded by associates who have been with us since the first year. We are all even more motivated to show Croatia and the world that we are ready to host the event at such a high competitive level and that we are a country that strives for sports success and can amaze the whole world with its natural beauties and heritage,” said Miholjevic.

This year, the most beautiful parts of Croatia, or as many as fourteen national and nature parks, are included in the race: PP Kopacki rit, PP Papuk, PP Lonjsko polje, NP Plitvice lakes, PP Vransko jezero, PP Biokovo, NP Krka, NP Paklenica, NP Northern Velebit, Velebit, Učka, Risnjak, Žumberak - Samobor Highlands and Medvednica Nature Park. Thus, during the race itself, the most beautiful postcard of Croatia will be broadcast to the world.

The race begins on Tuesday, October 1st in Osijek and passes through Našice, Kutjevo, Pleternica, Velika, Pozega, Pakrac and other places in Osijek-Baranja and Pozega-Slavonia County, with the finish in Lipik. The first stage of the race will include three nature parks: Kopacki rit, Papuk and Lonjsko polje. The next day, cyclists leave Slunj via Plitvice Lakes National Park towards Velebit Nature Park, from which they descend into Zadar County, or towards Zadar, where several exciting circles on the peninsula and an attractive sprint along the city walls are expected. The third day is created for the climbers who, after the start in Okrug, will follow the path of Biokovo and return to the finish in Makarska. During this stage, cyclists will see the beauty of Split-Dalmatia County, especially Central Dalmatia and the Makarska Riviera - Brela, Baska Voda, Tucepi, and Podgora.

The fourth stage begins in Zadar County in Starigrad, next to the Paklenica National Park, and along the old highway, it rides the southwestern slopes of Velebit across Senj towards the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County with a view to Crikvenica.

Last year, Rabac and Labin were excellent hosts, and they will continue this year for the fifth stage, which will start from Rabac with an ascent to Labin and then through Ucka to Icici, Opatija, Rijeka and Cavle. For this stage, the finish is at Platak, which is also the first time it has been involved in the race. This year, Sveta Nedelja was chosen for the start of the final stage, after which cyclists will head to Zagreb, Velika Gorica, Dugo Selo, Vrbovec and Sveti Ivan Zelina and return to Zagreb through the eastern part of Zagreb County to the finish at St. Mark’s Square. 

You can read more about CRO Race here. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

September 7, 2019 - Everything is ready for the fifth consecutive edition of the cycling race through Croatia, which is being held under the new name Cro Race, and in a new term from October 1-6, reports HRTurizam.

Like in previous years, the race will be broadcast daily by Croatian Radio and Television with ten hours of live television broadcasts and a total of three hours of recaps. The live show will also be on Eurosport and, thanks to the collaboration with A.S.O., will broadcast on numerous television stations from as many as six continents - in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia - in as many as 190 countries, some of which will also show a live broadcast.

New this year is that for the US racing market, the race will be streamed live via GCN, the largest cycling online video site. In addition, the race will also be shown on a number of intercontinental airlines.

The organizer of the race is Top Sport Events, which has already proven itself to be a successful organizer of the last four editions of 'Tour of Croatia', led by the celebrated former Croatian cyclist Vladimir Miholjevic. "I thank all state institutions, counties, and cities, partners and sponsors for staying with us and supporting this project, and I am also pleased to be surrounded by associates who have been with us since the first year. We are all even more motivated to show Croatia and the world that we are ready to host the event at such a high competitive level and that we are a country that strives for sports success and can amaze the whole world with its natural beauties and heritage,” said Miholjevic.

This year, the most beautiful parts of Croatia, or as many as fourteen national and nature parks, are included in the race: PP Kopacki rit, PP Papuk, PP Lonjsko polje, NP Plitvice lakes, PP Vransko jezero, PP Biokovo, NP Krka, NP Paklenica, NP Northern Velebit, Velebit, Učka, Risnjak, Žumberak - Samobor Highlands and Medvednica Nature Park. Thus, during the race itself, the most beautiful postcard of Croatia will be broadcast to the world.

The race begins on Tuesday, October 1st in Osijek and passes through Našice, Kutjevo, Pleternica, Velika, Pozega, Pakrac and other places in Osijek-Baranja and Pozega-Slavonia County, with the finish in Lipik. The first stage of the race will include three nature parks: Kopacki rit, Papuk and Lonjsko polje. The next day, cyclists leave Slunj via Plitvice Lakes National Park towards Velebit Nature Park, from which they descend into Zadar County, or towards Zadar, where several exciting circles on the peninsula and an attractive sprint along the city walls are expected. The third day is created for the climbers who, after the start in Okrug, will follow the path of Biokovo and return to the finish in Makarska. During this stage, cyclists will see the beauty of Split-Dalmatia County, especially Central Dalmatia and the Makarska Riviera - Brela, Baska Voda, Tucepi, and Podgora.

The fourth stage begins in Zadar County in Starigrad, next to the Paklenica National Park, and along the old highway, it rides the southwestern slopes of Velebit across Senj towards the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County with a view to Crikvenica.

Last year, Rabac and Labin were excellent hosts, and they will continue this year for the fifth stage, which will start from Rabac with an ascent to Labin and then through Ucka to Icici, Opatija, Rijeka and Cavle. For this stage, the finish is at Platak, which is also the first time it has been involved in the race. This year, Sveta Nedelja was chosen for the start of the final stage, after which cyclists will head to Zagreb, Velika Gorica, Dugo Selo, Vrbovec and Sveti Ivan Zelina and return to Zagreb through the eastern part of Zagreb County to the finish at St. Mark’s Square. 

Recall, due to disagreements in organizing the race with Vladimir Miholjevic, Ivan Crnjaric took advantage of the fact that the race was not protected, and protected the name at the Intellectual Property Office before transferring the right to his company Thorax Ltd. Crnjaric also kept the race term after applying to the International Cycling Federation and, without Vladimir Miholjevic and his team, devoted himself to organizing this year's Tour of Croatia.

Vladimir Miholjevic, the alpha and omega of the race, responded to the case at the end of the year, pointing out that the 2019 Tour of Croatia has nothing to do with the Tour of Croatia, and that the ‘Tour of Croatia’ story ended in court. The new race director canceled the event just five days before the scheduled start. Thus, Vladimir Miholjevic organized his race, which he called CRO Race, from October 1-6.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.