Tuesday, 7 September 2021

CRO Race Cycling Spectacle Returns in September for 6th Edition!

September 7, 2021 - The sixth edition of the international cycling race CRO Race will be held from September 28 to October 3 and will host about twenty cycling teams from Europe, Asia, America, and Australia, in six stages, on a route of more than 1,000 kilometers throughout Croatia.

The inclusion of the race in the World Cycling Organization (UCI) calendar and the 2.1 qualification rank of the race confirms the excellent status that CRO Race has in the cycling world.

"Along with top sports excitement and sound cycling names, this is a unique project that promotes Croatia in more than 190 countries around the world. Therefore, it is not surprising that the CRO Race race is called the most beautiful postcard of Croatia because during these six days we show our whole country from above and turn it into a unique sports arena," said Vladimir Miholjević, former Croatian cyclist and director of Top Sport Events, which has successfully organized all the previous five editions of the race through Croatia.

As in previous years, the race will be broadcast daily by the Croatian Radio and Television, the live broadcast will be broadcast on Eurosport, and thanks to the cooperation with the company A.S.O. it will be broadcast on six continents - in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia - in as many as 190 countries.

"I thank all state institutions, counties, and cities and partners and sponsors who are just as motivated to show the world that we are ready to host the event at such a high level of competition and that we are a country striving for sporting success and can amaze the world with its natural beauty and heritage," Miholjević pointed out.

Miholjević also adds that the list of teams is impressive this year as well - the teams Jumbo Visma, Bike Exchange, Israel Start-Up Nation, and Bahrain Victorious are just some of those who announced their arrival. This is very reminiscent of previous editions of the race when we had the opportunity to see some of the biggest names in professional cycling, such as Vincenzo Nibali, Marko Cavendish, Tadej Pogačar, Primož Roglić, Adam Yates, and others.

The first stage of the race starts from Osijek, passes through Ludbreg, and ends in Varaždin. The town of Slunj opens the second stage, and then the cyclists descend to Lika-Senj County, which will, with a finish in the town of Otočac, provide a household for the first time at the end of one stage. After that, the entire caravan moves to the coast, more precisely to Primošten, from where the third stage, 167 kilometers long, will lead through Rogoznica to the finish line in Makarska. The fourth stage starts in Zadar, and through Starigrad, Paklenica continues with a dynamic ride along the Adriatic Highway, leading cyclists to the bonus goal in Senj and the goal in Crikvenica. The beginning of the fifth stage, which covers the Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar counties, is located in Rabac, passing through Pazin, Kastav, Viškovo, and Rijeka and ending in Opatija. The final, sixth stage, will start in Samobor, through Sveta Nedelja, Velika Gorica, Dugo Selo, and Vrbovec, and the last mountain goal of the race in Sveti Ivan Zelina, after which it will end in Zagreb.

More info can be found HERE.

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Saturday, 7 September 2019

Cro Race: 'Tour of Croatia' to Ride Under New Name in October

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.

Friday, 12 January 2018

Bahrain Merida Hvar Interview Bricolage - Pigs Dream of Corn Cobs Don't They?

Professional cyclists and their entourage are very much like seamen. On the road 200 days a year, their life surroundings dedicated to their job. Still they manage to have families? Seriously? In December a ferry brought these hardworking globetrotters to Hvar for a work trip.

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