Tour of Croatia 2017

[fauniera]

Tour of Croatia
2.1
18.04. - 23.04.2017

stage 1: Osijek – Koprivnica, 227 km

stage 2: Trogir – Biokovo (Sveti Jure), 123 km

Sveti Jure:

stage 3: Imotski – Zadar, 237 km

stage 4: Crikvenica – Umag, 171 km

stage 5: Poreč – Učka (Poklon), 141 km

stage 6: Samobor – Zagreb, 147 km

Startlist

 

[El Pistolero]

If Nibali can't even win here...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Nice OP and appears to be a nice parcours

Stage 2 finish looks horrific

 

[Valv.Piti]

Probably a better warmup race than Trentino, but still disappointed that Nibali will ride this instead. What a disappointing rider lately, maybe he can redeem himself against the likes of Jesper Hansen, Rogina and Jaime Roson.... But he most likely won't.

 

[Gigs_98]

I somehow think Nibali won't win

 

[fauniera]

Osijek

Koprivnica

Trogir

Biokovo (Sveti Jure)

(I didn't use Sveti Jure for my Kakanien Rundfahrt because i was convinced there wasn't enough room at the top. Apparently i was wrong.)

Imotski

Zadar

Crikvenica

Umag

Poreč

Učka (Poklon)

Samobor

Zagreb

 

[Escarabajo]

Thanks fauniera. Nice OP.

I guess you are from Croatia!

 

[markene2]

I somehow think Nibali won't win

Same, wont suprise me if Kiserlovski wins

 

[Rollthedice]

For Nibali the decision to race here was taken at the first Bahrain team meeting in Croatia. Aru was supposed to ride it also. Now, I don't really know what to expect any more, he should win, Etna stage is in three weeks time.

 

[Red Rick]

For reference: Nibali in prep races

2009: 7th overall DL
2010: 3rd overall in Burgos
2011: 23rd overall in Trentino, 34th overall in Pologne
2012: 28th overall in the DL
2013: 1st overall in Trentino, 53rd overall in Pologne
2014: 7th overall in the DL
2015: 12th overall in the DL
2016: 21st overall in Trentino

Conclusion, if he top 10's he'll be okay

 

[Carols]

Stage 2 looks pretty tough for a guy who has no race kms in his legs for such a long time. Hopefully Nibali isn't found truly wanting on the second stage!

 

[RedheadDane]

Interesting pacours, though... can't imagine the riders are too thrilled with those transfers. Then again; nobody's forcing them to come.

On stage two, the profile showing the last three Ks, what's that weird spike? (at around 2 K to go.)

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Eyes peeled for Jan Hirt, Kristijan Đurasek and Oleksandr Polivoda during this race. I think they'll be prominent. Hoping for more progression from Jaime Rosón.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Stage 2 looks pretty tough for a guy who has no race kms in his legs for such a long time. Hopefully Nibali isn't found truly wanting on the second stage!

30 kilometers of climbing. This is almost as difficult as Galibier from Saint Michel de Maurienne.

Great OP, my friend.

 

[sir fly]

Re:

Interesting pacours, though... can't imagine the riders are too thrilled with those transfers. Then again; nobody's forcing them to come.

On stage two, the profile showing the last three Ks, what's that weird spike? (at around 2 K to go.)

Yeah...
It's a nasty little pitch gaining, around, 120 metres in altitude in, about, hundred of metres of road.
... To roll over on the back.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

What can we expect from Sayar, jens?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Stage 2 looks pretty tough for a guy who has no race kms in his legs for such a long time. Hopefully Nibali isn't found truly wanting on the second stage!

30 kilometers of climbing. This is almost as difficult as Galibier from Saint Michel de Maurienne.

Great OP, my friend.

Nibali will drop after 5 kilometres, tell us he rides on his SRM-data, can't go above threshold while Slongo will proceed to tell us all to calm down because he knows what he is doing. After all he has worked together with some of the best. Calling it!

 

[TromleTromle]

A few cents from a almost native....

Croatia is shaped like a crucifix, and while it does not have the french disease (finish in Paris with NO challenges nearby) it gives a tricky layout.
The Tour could opt for a East-West or South-North approach for different years - or might even do a North-South with a final evening TT below the walls (or on them) of Kings Landing... ehhh.. Dubrovnik!

Stage 1: fair design, but a 5-6 hours transfer (by road) or 2 hours by air (which I doubt is in the budget) - linking to the above...

Stage 2: Brutal finish 1650 meter gain on 28 km. thats 5,9% quite similar to a Col de la Bonette South.
As faunieras profile shows espeically the middle piece of 10km is tough, and the riders should be happy for that the Croatian July heat is not baking on them.

Regarding the space - I will tune in on the stage to see how they will pull this one off - This literally makes Gamonteiro look like Champs Elysse.

Stage 3 & 4: Long designs - solid hard fought breakaway action vs. hunting peleton.

Stage 5:
The Good: They will do the monsterside of Ucka - same gradiant and 300 meters shorter than the famous Alpe

5km of 10,2%
The Bad: They will only climb the first but also hardest part (turning with 5.8 to go)
The Ugly: They will finish on the usual side - but even lower than last year until the Vela Ucka mark

As the first MTF is of the diesel type, it would suite the race to have a more explosive 2nd MTF....

Stage 6: a bit of a transfer again - and they could do more to indorporate the hilly mountain north of Zagreb instead of going around. Zagreb is kind of unique - thats it is one of few capitals of Europe with a proper hill/2nd Cat mountain next door for WCRR route...

 

[Red Rick]

Lets stick to the English shall we.

 

[sir fly]

Re:

Lets stick to the English shall we.

C'mon, man... We're discussing the race name, as it's been done in race threads lately, and it can't really be translated into English.
Well... It can, but loses a lot of spirit, and it's primarily addressed to those who can understand it in original.

 

[Brullnux]

I somehow think Nibali won't win

Same, wont suprise me if Kiserlovski wins

Don't think it's that Kiserlovski.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re: Re:

Lets stick to the English shall we.

C'mon, man... We're discussing the race name, as it's been done in race threads lately, and it can't really be translated into English.
Well... It can, but loses a lot of spirit, and it's primarily addressed to those who can understand it in original.

I laughed, if that's any consolation.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Lets stick to the English shall we.

C'mon, man... We're discussing the race name, as it's been done in race threads lately, and it can't really be translated into English.
Well... It can, but loses a lot of spirit, and it's primarily addressed to those who can understand it in original.

I laughed, if that's any consolation.

Off course it is!
How you've managed to understand it? You, surely, couldn't appreciate the reply to Denis Menchov in fullness (if you saw it).

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re: Re:

Lets stick to the English shall we.

C'mon, man... We're discussing the race name, as it's been done in race threads lately, and it can't really be translated into English.
Well... It can, but loses a lot of spirit, and it's primarily addressed to those who can understand it in original.

I laughed, if that's any consolation.

Off course it is!
How you've managed to understand it? You, surely, couldn't appreciate the reply to Denis Menchov in fullness (if you saw it).

I only saw the original joke, didn't catch the responses from it. I read Cyrillic, speak some Russian, and know enough Slavic word stock to have got the meaning of it even though Serbian is South Slavonic, which I don't have prior experience with.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

I only saw the original joke, didn't catch the responses from it. I read Cyrillic, speak some Russian, and know enough Slavic word stock to have got the meaning of it even though Serbian is South Slavonic, which I don't have prior experience with.

Yes, knowing the alphabet and any Slavic language should've been enough for understanding.
Did you find it difficult getting used to Cyrilic alphabet when you've learnt it?