Bole Wins Tour Of Croatia Opener

Last updated : 22 April 2015 By Covsupport News Service

Grega Bole has won the opening stage of the Tour of Croatia.

Four riders were in the break on a stage of 160kms which left Markarska heading for Split.

A group had been four minutes ahead but they were chased down and they were 1.10 clear with 48kms left.

After five riders had taken the wrong turn on a dual carriagway and had to dismount and lift their bikes over the barriers so that they could take a right hand turn.

On to country lands and the gap was down to a minute before the riders got back onto some decent roads and wiped out the break.

Austrian Michael Gogl led going into the final twenty kilometres as CCC Sprandl controlled the peloton behind them.

Gogle was caught with eleven kilometres to go on the main road into Split.

There were a number of attacks but onto the sea front in Split and CCC were controlling things and it was Grega Bole of CCC Sptrandl, who took the win in 3.58.07 in a finish which saw two crashes.

Second was Maciej Paterski, followed by Kump, Franczak, Miskulin,  Viganò, Korosec, Maikin, Soballa and Balykin.

Bole now leads the race with a four second bonus over his team mate Paterski.

Bole said:" i am so happy that I have won this stage. My team mates did a really good job and I must thank everyone. It was a really dangerous finish with lots of corners but my team took care of me so I did not lose position so I won this stage and and Maciej was second.

"I am from Slovenia and have been here on holiday, so it is good that there is a Tour Of Croatia."