CRO Race to go through islands for first time 

(Photo credit: Sport-IT)

The eighth edition of the CRO Race international cycling race will be held from 26 September to 1 October. 

This year’s race will host 18 international cycling teams from Europe, Asia, America, and Australia, six of which will be from the WorldTeams category. 

CRO Race will consist of six stages across a course of nearly 1,000 kilometres throughout Croatia, allowing the riders to enjoy the natural beauty of some familiar destinations, as well as a few new ones. 

(Photo credit: Sport-IT)

The biggest news is that this year’s CRO Race will be coming to two Croatian islands – Krk and Pag. The race stages will be as follows: 1. Primošten – Sinj (181 km), 2. Biograd na Moru – Novalja (114.5 km), 3. Otočac – Opatija (133.5 km), 4. Krk – Labin (191 km), 5. Crikvenica – Ozalj (189 km), and 6. Samobor – Zagreb (157.5 km). 

(Photo credit: Sport-IT)

The finish line of the final stage and the announcement of the winner of the general classification will be in front of the National and University Library in Hrvatska bratska zajednica street in Zagreb.

A total of 126 cyclists are currently registered for the race, and amongst the well-known teams competing, five from the UCI WorldTeams category stand out: Bahrain Victorious, Ineos Grenadiers, Lidl-Trek, Team DSM-Firmenich, and Team Jayco Alula. Two Croats will also be competing – Fran Miholjević (Bahrain Victorious) and Viktor Potočki (Ljubljana Gusto Santic). All riders will be fighting for the red chequered jersey, which is worn by the rider leading the general classification; there will also be awards for the rider with the most points, the king of the mountains, the best young rider (under 23), and best team.

(Photo credit: Sport-IT)

The race organiser, Top Sport Events, has turned this event into a recognisable project over the years, strengthening both its sporting position and its tourist potential. “CRO Race began back in 2015, and the idea to organise this kind of race was driven by enthusiasm, love of cycling, and the belief that Croatia deserves to have this kind of international sporting event. From the very start, it was clear that this project was full of potential, and now that we’ve come to the eighth edition of the race, we can proudly say that much of this potential has been realised, creating opportunities for us to develop the race even further. 

Today, CRO Race is a respectable sporting event, one that contains a powerful element of promotion for our country. Numerous sponsors have accompanied us on the path of CRO Race’s growth and development. It was they who recognised the true value of the race and who pushed us to become better and better every year. I’m convinced that this year’s edition of the race will meet the expectations of cycling fans everywhere, and that we will all enjoy an unforgettable six days of professional sport, accompanied by unforgettable shots of Croatia’s stunning beauty,” notes Vladimir Miholjević, race director of CRO Race.

(Photo credit: Sport-IT)

As in previous years, the race will be broadcast daily by Croatian Radiotelevision; it will also be broadcast live on Eurosport. Thanks to cooperation with A.S.O., the race will be broadcast on six continents – Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia – in a total of 130 countries.