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September 27, 2022
CRO Race 2022 – Stage 1 – Osijek – Ludbreg : 223,5 km
The Tour of Croatia may be one of the youngest stage-races on the pro cycling calendar,
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September 27, 2022
CRO Race 2022 – Stage 1 – Osijek – Ludbreg : 223,5 km
The Tour of Croatia may be one of the youngest stage-races on the pro cycling calendar, with its first professional edition taking place back in 2015, but it has wasted no time in establishing itself as one of the best races for first-year pros to really shine against WorldTour opposition. For the past few editions the Tour of Croatia has started in the city of Osijek and finished in the capital, Zagreb. The route has often worked its way around the perimeter of the country, tackling a series of rolling stages along the coast before a leg-breaking stage through the Učka mountain range on the penultimate day of the race.
Italy’s Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious) has won a rainsoaked stage 1 of the CRO Race from Osijek to Ludbreg after a powerful late acceleration saw the 21-year-old claim a small bunch sprint by several bike lengths.
Fellow Italians Sacha Modolo (Bardiani-CSF-Faizane) and Mirco Maestri (EOLO-Kometa) claimed second and third respectively in the 223 kilometre stage.
A late move by Milan’s teammate Matej Mohorič coming off the second ascent of a short climb, the Ludbreski Vinogradi, faded away in the final metres.
Milan then swept past Mohorič for the victory and will now lead the race into stage 2, another hilly 163 kilometres run from Otocac to Zadar.
After almost five hours in the saddle, the first of the two ascents of the short, very uneven Ludbreski Vinogradi climb just before the finish in the town of Ludbreg proved fatal for the 7 rider break of the day. As the rain teemed down, the strongest rider of the move, Kern Pharma’s Pablo Castrillo tried in vain to stay clear of a slowly disintegrating pack, but finally it was Briton Oscar Onley (DSM) who snapped up the biggest haul of mountain points on offer at the summit,
The pack then regrouped to around 60 units after the very technical, waterlogged descent, and coming through the finish with 17 kilometres to go, Ineos Grenadiers, led by 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, were visibly attempting to keep things under control for their sprinter Elia Viviani.
The second ascent of the Ludbreski Vinograda, though, saw the race swing back in favour of Bahrain Victorious. No less than four domestiques, headed by 2021 Giro d’Italia runner-up Gianpaolo Caruso, stung things out notably on the upper part of the ascent. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), riding his first race since his Tour de France victory this July was among those best able to handle the pace despite such difficult weather conditions, crossing the top of the climb in around tenth place of a long line of riders.
Lurking just behind his teammates on the climb, where Bahrain Victorious Santiago Buitrago set the pace, a breakaway specialist like Mohorič was ideally placed to take advantage of the final drop. Then when Mohorič forged away some four kilometres from the line, evoking memories of his spectacular descent in Milano-Sanremo this spring, he quickly eked out a lead of several bike lengths of a slowly reforming bunch.
The Slovenian’s advantage through never quite stretched far enough on the flatter segment that followed, for all he led through two very tricky corners and into the short barriered-course segment leading to the finishing gantries..
Sensing that Mohoric was fading fast, Milan surged forward with a long, sustained sprint for the line in the closing 100 metres. He and the remnants of the bunch swept past his teammate, but such was the power of Milan’s late acceleration that he finished several bike lengths clear of his rival to claim first professional victory of his career. Mohorič meanwhile, crossed the line in seventh.
Results :
 has won a rainsoaked stage 1 of the CRO Race from Osijek to Ludbreg after a powerful late acceleration saw the 21-year-old claim a small bunch sprint by several bike lengths.
Fellow Italians Sacha Modolo (Bardiani-CSF-Faizane) and Mirco Maestri (EOLO-Kometa) claimed second and third respectively in the 223 kilometre stage.
A late move by Milan’s teammate Matej Mohorič coming off the second ascent of a short climb, the Ludbreski Vinogradi, faded away in the final metres.
Milan then swept past Mohorič for the victory and will now lead the race into stage 2, another hilly 163 kilometres run from Otocac to Zadar.
After almost five hours in the saddle, the first of the two ascents of the short, very uneven Ludbreski Vinogradi climb just before the finish in the town of Ludbreg proved fatal for the 7 rider break of the day. As the rain teemed down, the strongest rider of the move, Kern Pharma’s Pablo Castrillo tried in vain to stay clear of a slowly disintegrating pack, but finally it was Briton Oscar Onley (DSM) who snapped up the biggest haul of mountain points on offer at the summit,
The pack then regrouped to around 60 units after the very technical, waterlogged descent, and coming through the finish with 17 kilometres to go, Ineos Grenadiers, led by 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, were visibly attempting to keep things under control for their sprinter Elia Viviani.
The second ascent of the Ludbreski Vinograda, though, saw the race swing back in favour of Bahrain Victorious. No less than four domestiques, headed by 2021 Giro d’Italia runner-up Gianpaolo Caruso, stung things out notably on the upper part of the ascent. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), riding his first race since his Tour de France victory this July was among those best able to handle the pace despite such difficult weather conditions, crossing the top of the climb in around tenth place of a long line of riders.
Lurking just behind his teammates on the climb, where Bahrain Victorious Santiago Buitrago set the pace, a breakaway specialist like Mohorič was ideally placed to take advantage of the final drop. Then when Mohorič forged away some four kilometres from the line, evoking memories of his spectacular descent in Milano-Sanremo this spring, he quickly eked out a lead of several bike lengths of a slowly reforming bunch.
The Slovenian’s advantage through never quite stretched far enough on the flatter segment that followed, for all he led through two very tricky corners and into the short barriered-course segment leading to the finishing gantries..
Sensing that Mohoric was fading fast, Milan surged forward with a long, sustained sprint for the line in the closing 100 metres. He and the remnants of the bunch swept past his teammate, but such was the power of Milan’s late acceleration that he finished several bike lengths clear of his rival to claim first professional victory of his career. Mohorič meanwhile, crossed the line in seventh.
<strong>Results : </strong>
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grazie Fausto