Tour of Croatia 2.HC (17/04 - 22/04)

[Max Rockatansky]

Stage 1 Osijek › Koprivnica (227k)

Stage 2 Karlovac › Zadar (235k)

Stage 3 Trogir › PP Biokovo (Sv. Jure) (134k)

Stage 4 Starigrad › Crikvenica (171k)

Stage 5 Rabac › Poklon (PP Učka) (148k)

Stage 6 Samobor › Zagreb (152k)

Astana Pro Team
Trek - Segafredo (Brambilla)
Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team (Koren)
Team Novo Nordisk
Bardiani - CSF
WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
Gazprom-RusVelo
Aqua Blue Sport
Holowesko -Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources
Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa Ovini (Lobato)
CCC Sprandi Polkowice (Tratnik, Kump)
Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij
Israel Cycling Academy
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
Bicicletas Strongman Colombia Coldeportes
MsTina-Focus
Meridiana Kamen Team
Adria Mobil
Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum

Previous winners
2017 - Vincenzo Nibali
2016 - Matija Kvasina
2015 - Maciej Paterski
2007 - Radoslav Rogina
2001 - Simone Mori
2000 - Martin Derganc
1999 - Gregor Tekavec
1998 - Vladimir Miholjevic
1997 - Andrey Mizourov
1996 - Sandi Papež

 

[Jancouver]

Tour of Croatia is an HC rated race?

Holy moly! I had no idea.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Re:

Tour of Croatia is an HC rated race?

Holy moly! I had no idea.

It was 2.1 from 2015 to 2017. Now 2.HC.

 

[Sestriere]

I like the route. Two big MTFs and the fun course in Zagreb make for great viewing. Some strong teams at the start as well, so it should be a good race.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Tour of Croatia is an HC rated race?

Holy moly! I had no idea.

The starter fiel has been quite good in recent years. I hope for brambilla to finally get rolling. I invested serious cq points in him

 

[Zama_Olyas]

I like this race ..beautiful country and all that.

 

[Scarponi]

Is the big mountain from last year that got cancelled due to weather back? They only went halfway last year and it was an absolute beast

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Is the big mountain from last year that got cancelled due to weather back? They only went halfway last year and it was an absolute beast

Yes, it is. That is Sveti Jure. 30 kilometers of climbing with 1.700m elevation gain.

 

[Urbi27]

Tadej Pogacar FTW

 

[Zama_Olyas]

Is the big mountain from last year that got cancelled due to weather back? They only went halfway last year and it was an absolute beast

Yes, it is. That is Sveti Jure. 30 kilometers of climbing with 1.700m elevation gain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NlGZkLILHs

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Is the big mountain from last year that got cancelled due to weather back? They only went halfway last year and it was an absolute beast

Yes, it is. That is Sveti Jure. 30 kilometers of climbing with 1.700m elevation gain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NlGZkLILHs

It's so impressive to look to the sea from a mountain like this.

Meanwhile we have some names...

Adria Mobil (Brajkovič, Rogina)
Nippo - Vini Fantini - Europa Ovini (Ponzi, Lobato, Grosu)
Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum (Pogacar, Jerman)
Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team (Sivtsov, Novak, Mohoric)
Astana Pro Team (Minali, Gidich)
WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic (Dehaes, Kirsch)
Team Novo Nordisk (Peron, Planet)
Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij (Weening, Wippert)
MsTina-Focus (Marini, Zurlo)
Meridiana Kamen Team (Rabottini, Rumac)
Israel Cycling Academy (Sbaragli, Enger, Neilands)
Holowesko -Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources (Murphy, Eisenhart)
Gazprom-RusVelo (Trusov, Shalunov)
CCC Sprandi Polkowice (Kump, Tratnik)
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA (Ferrari, Yssaad)
Bicicletas Strongman Colombia Coldeportes (Estrada, Cala)
Bardiani - CSF (Guardini, Barbin, Albanese)
Aqua Blue Sport (Blythe, Kreder)
Trek - Segafredo (Nizzolo, Brambilla, Eg)

Ardennes + Trentino made Astana send their last squad. Some good sprinters here, it really reminds me of Turkey before it was WT.

 

[Squire]

Some interesting names to follow.

Domen Novak looks like he could lead Bahrain. He looked very promising in his last season with Adria Mobil, but hasn't really made anything happen with Bahrain so far.

Daniel Savini is the only proper climber in the Bardiani squad. Hopefully he can show why he was the best Italian climber of his junior class.

And obvious Pogacar win is obvious.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Rain dominating the day
live on ES now

 

[RedheadDane]

What the *** happened with Bonifazio's shoe?

 

[Laplaz]

That was impressing by Bonifazio!

 

[fauniera]

Re:

And obvious Pogacar win is obvious.

Glad we all agree on that. Tadej already won a few seconds against most of his competitors today.

Tomorrow:

 

[Nirvana]

Is the big mountain from last year that got cancelled due to weather back? They only went halfway last year and it was an absolute beast

Yes, it is. That is Sveti Jure. 30 kilometers of climbing with 1.700m elevation gain.

It's Učka that was cut last year but also this year they'll finish at the same point.

(Image credit Lasterketa Burua)

 

[Laplaz]

Someone has a detailled profile of the last climb of today?

 

[search]

Someone has a detailled profile of the last climb of today?

https://www.strava.com/segments/5087073

edit: this one is better

 

[Krokro]

Brambilla (he's a ghost lately) or Novak ftw? Lastra maybe? Any other serious contender?

 

[Bushman]

Pogacar.

 

[Krokro]

Re:

Podacar.

What's that thing?
Indeed, after looking at 2017 and 2018 early season, he looks promising. Let's see how he acts versus some second/ tier riders. I don't know him but regarding the whole startlist, he should have a chance if he climbs well.

 

[Laplaz]

I would add Mohoric, Siutsou, Celano, Eg and of course Rabottini

 

[DNP-Old]

Cala.

 

[Sestriere]

Considering how Astana are riding atm, I gonna say Yevgeniy Gidich for the stage.