The final stage race on Bahrain Victorious’ 2022 racing calendar is the “CRO Race”, the most popular international cycling event in Croatia. The 6-day race will take place from Tuesday, September 27th to Sunday, October 2nd, starting in Osijek and finishing in Zagreb, as per tradition. The peloton will face a course of more than a thousand kilometres throughout Croatia, riding across some of the most attractive areas of this Nation, especially nature parks and charming seaside locations.
Bahrain Victorious has a successful past on the Croatian roads and will aim to confirm it in the upcoming 7th edition of the race. The team will ride to defend the overall title won by Stevie Williams in 2021 when we wrapped up the week with 2 stage wins and first place in the Best Team classification.
Matej Mohorič will lead the team with the goal of succeeding his teammate, while Santiago Buitrago will ride with the role of co-leader as the Bahrain Victorious Sports Director Gorazd Stangelj explains: “This year’s edition doesn’t suit the pure climbers very much, but more complete riders. The course doesn’t seem too hard on paper, but there are plenty of demanding finishes, and I believe that small gaps will decide the overall winner. A rider like Matej is skilled for this kind of race when it is also needed to battle for the bonus seconds, which can be decisive for the General Classification.
Mohorič will also be precious in leading our sprinter Jonathan Milan. He will look for his first professional road victory after taking several podium places recently at the Deutschland Tour and Tour de Pologne.
According to how the race will unfold, we will have another option for the GC: Santiago Buitrago. His climbing skills can turn out to be decisive in the trickiest hilly stages when he will be supported especially by Hermann Pernsteiner. In support of our GC guys, we have Filip Maciejuk – who will also lead out Milan – and Fran Miholjević, who is debuting with the team. He’s back from the World Championships, but he will surely be motivated as a home rider and also as he’s wearing our jersey for the first time in a race. It will be memorable for him. Then, precious as always to direct our squad inside the race, our road captain Damiano Caruso. So, we can count on a solid lineup to achieve our goals. Motivation and riding as a team will be the key. It’s the last stage race of the year, and when you finish the season well, it’s always a step forward into next season”.
Regarding the race, this year’s edition opens with a long day on the saddle, featuring a 224 km flat course, including a final loop of 13 km done two times, that will make selection towards a probably reduced bunch sprint at the finish in Ludbreg.
Stage 2, with start in the fascinating Otočac, is another opportunity for the fast men who will battle in a bunch sprint in Zadar after 163 km and a technical and very demanding loop.
The GC contenders will focus on stage 3, starting in Sinj and featuring 13 km dirt road and uphill finish in Primošten.
The day after is another challenging day, with a long course (225 km and 2079 m elevation, from Biograd na Moru to Crikvenica) and a demanding final circuit of 10km length. A reduced bunch sprint is expected, with the riders surviving after the climbs.
The penultimate day is the race’s Queen stage, from Opatija to Labin (153 km / 2969 m elevation), with an uphill finish on cobbles and 6 KOM. Riders will pass 3 times under the finish line after 2 loops of 11.5 km, including 2 KOM.
Without a real mountain stage, the race can still be decided on the last day, after 166 km from Sveta Nedelja to Zagreb. GC contenders will have to face a very selective circuit, featuring a technical and hilly loop with cobbles, that can decide the 2022 winner of the red jersey, succeeding to our Stevie Williams.
