2018 Tour of Croatia

The 2018 Tour of Croatia was a road cycling stage race that took place in Croatia between 17 and 22 April 2018. It was the fourth edition of the Tour of Croatia since its revival in 2015, and was rated as a 2.HC event as part of the 2018 UCI Europe Tour.

2018 Tour of Croatia

2018 UCI Europe Tour
Race details
Dates	17–22 April 2018
Stages	6
Distance	1,074.5 km (667.7 mi)
Winning time	26h 51' 12"[1]
Results
Winner  Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR) (Bahrain–Merida)   Second  Pieter Weening (NED) (Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij)   Third  Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ) (Astana) Points  Eduard-Michael Grosu (ROU) (Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini) Mountains  Peter Koning (NED) (Aqua Blue Sport) Youth  Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ) (Astana)   Team Bahrain–Merida
← 2017 2019 →

The race was won by Bahrain–Merida's Kanstantsin Sivtsov.^[2]

Teams

Nineteen teams were invited to start the race.^[3] These included three UCI WorldTeams, 11 UCI Professional Continental teams and five UCI Continental teams.^[4]

UCI WorldTeams

• Astana
• Bahrain–Merida
• Trek–Segafredo

UCI Professional Continental teams

• Aqua Blue Sport
• Bardiani–CSF
• Caja Rural–Seguros RGA
• CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice
• Gazprom–RusVelo
• Holowesko Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources
• Israel Cycling Academy
• Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini
• Team Novo Nordisk
• Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij
• WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic

UCI Continental teams

• Adria Mobil
• Bicicletas Strongman–Colombia Coldeportes
• Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum
• Meridiana–Kamen
• MsTina–Focus

Schedule

Stage schedule^[5]

Stage	Date	Route	Distance	Type		Winner
1	17 April	Osijek to Koprivnica	227 km (141.1 mi)		Hilly stage	Niccolò Bonifazio (ITA)
2	18 April	Karlovac to Zadar	234.5 km (145.7 mi)		Hilly stage	Eduard-Michael Grosu (ROU)
3	19 April	Trogir–Okrug to Sveti Jure–Biokovo	134 km (83.3 mi)		Mountain stage	Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR)
4	20 April	Starigrad to Crikvenica	171 km (106.3 mi)		Hilly stage	Alessandro Tonelli (ITA)
5	21 April	Rabac to Učka	156.5 km (97.2 mi)		Mountain stage	Manuele Boaro (ITA)
6	22 April	Samobor to Zagreb	151.5 km (94.1 mi)		Flat stage	Paolo Simion (ITA)

Stages

Stage 1

17 April 2018 — Osijek to Koprivnica, 227 km (141.1 mi)^[6]

Result of Stage 1[7] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Niccolò Bonifazio (ITA) Bahrain–Merida 5h 45' 25" 2  Andrea Guardini (ITA) Bardiani–CSF + 0" 3  Eduard-Michael Grosu (ROU) Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini + 0" 4  Riccardo Minali (ITA) Astana + 0" 5  Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) Trek–Segafredo + 0" 6  Marko Kump (SLO) CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice + 0" 7  John Murphy (USA) Holowesko Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources + 0" 8  Žiga Jerman (SLO) Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum + 0" 9  Federico Zurlo (ITA) MsTina–Focus + 0" 10  Jimmy Duquennoy (BEL) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic + 0"

General classification after Stage 1[7] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Niccolò Bonifazio (ITA) Bahrain–Merida 5h 45' 15" 2  Jon Božič (SLO) Adria Mobil + 1" 3  Andrea Guardini (ITA) Bardiani–CSF + 4" 4  Eduard-Michael Grosu (ROU) Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini + 6" 5  Riccardo Minali (ITA) Astana + 10" 6  Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) Trek–Segafredo + 10" 7  Marko Kump (SLO) CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice + 10" 8  John Murphy (USA) Holowesko Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources + 10" 9  Žiga Jerman (SLO) Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum + 10" 10  Federico Zurlo (ITA) MsTina–Focus + 10"

Stage 2

18 April 2018 — Karlovac to Zadar, 234.5 km (145.7 mi)^[8]

Result of Stage 2[9] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Eduard-Michael Grosu (ROU) Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini 5h 38' 11" 2  Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) Trek–Segafredo + 0" 3  Riccardo Minali (ITA) Astana + 0" 4  Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ) Astana + 4" 5  Juan José Lobato (ESP) Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini + 4" 6  Josip Rumac (CRO) Meridiana–Kamen + 4" 7  Žiga Jerman (SLO) Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum + 4" 8  Matej Mohorič (SLO) Bahrain–Merida + 4" 9  Andrea Guardini (ITA) Bardiani–CSF + 4" 10  Marko Kump (SLO) CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice + 8"

General classification after Stage 2[9] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Eduard-Michael Grosu (ROU) Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini 11h 23' 22" 2  Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) Trek–Segafredo + 8" 3  Riccardo Minali (ITA) Astana + 10" 4  Andrea Guardini (ITA) Bardiani–CSF + 12" 5  Jon Božič (SLO) Adria Mobil + 12" 6  Riccardo Stacchiotti (ITA) MsTina–Focus + 17" 7  Žiga Jerman (SLO) Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum + 18" 8  Matej Mohorič (SLO) Bahrain–Merida + 18" 9  Josip Rumac (CRO) Meridiana–Kamen + 18" 10  Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ) Astana + 18"

Stage 3

19 April 2018 — Trogir–Okrug to Sveti Jure–Biokovo, 134 km (83.3 mi)^[10]

Result of Stage 3[11] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR) Bahrain–Merida 3h 51' 32" 2  Pieter Weening (NED) Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij + 4" 3  Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ) Astana + 49" 4  Radoslav Rogina (CRO) Adria Mobil + 56" 5  Niklas Eg (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 1' 38" 6  Daniel Pearson (GBR) Aqua Blue Sport + 2' 01" 7  Gianluca Brambilla (ITA) Trek–Segafredo + 2' 27" 8  Rubén Acosta (COL) Bicicletas Strongman–Colombia Coldeportes + 2' 42" 9  Artem Nych (RUS) Gazprom–RusVelo + 2' 51" 10  Jonathan Lastra (ESP) Caja Rural–Seguros RGA + 3' 42"

General classification after Stage 3[11] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR) Bahrain–Merida 15h 15' 10" 2  Pieter Weening (NED) Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij + 8" 3  Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ) Astana + 47" 4  Radoslav Rogina (CRO) Adria Mobil + 1' 06" 5  Niklas Eg (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 1' 48" 6  Daniel Pearson (GBR) Aqua Blue Sport + 2' 11" 7  Gianluca Brambilla (ITA) Trek–Segafredo + 2' 33" 8  Rubén Acosta (COL) Bicicletas Strongman–Colombia Coldeportes + 2' 52" 9  Artem Nych (RUS) Gazprom–RusVelo + 3' 01" 10  Jonathan Lastra (ESP) Caja Rural–Seguros RGA + 3' 48"

Stage 4

20 April 2018 — Starigrad to Crikvenica, 171 km (106.3 mi)^[12]

Result of Stage 4[13] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Alessandro Tonelli (ITA) Bardiani–CSF 3h 56' 57" 2  Enrico Barbin (ITA) Bardiani–CSF + 12" 3  Jan Tratnik (SLO) CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice + 12" 4  Fabian Lienhard (SUI) Holowesko Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources + 12" 5  Niccolò Bonifazio (ITA) Bahrain–Merida + 12" 6  Žiga Ručigaj (SLO) Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum + 12" 7  Federico Zurlo (ITA) MsTina–Focus + 12" 8  Adrian Kurek (POL) CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice + 12" 9  Jonathan Lastra (ESP) Caja Rural–Seguros RGA + 12" 10  Kristian Sbaragli (ITA) Israel Cycling Academy + 12"

General classification after Stage 4[13] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR) Bahrain–Merida 19h 12' 19" 2  Pieter Weening (NED) Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij + 8" 3  Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ) Astana + 47" 4  Radoslav Rogina (CRO) Adria Mobil + 1' 06" 5  Niklas Eg (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 1' 48" 6  Daniel Pearson (GBR) Aqua Blue Sport + 2' 11" 7  Gianluca Brambilla (ITA) Trek–Segafredo + 2' 33" 8  Rubén Acosta (COL) Bicicletas Strongman–Colombia Coldeportes + 2' 52" 9  Artem Nych (RUS) Gazprom–RusVelo + 3' 01" 10  Jonathan Lastra (ESP) Caja Rural–Seguros RGA + 3' 48"

Stage 5

21 April 2018 — Rabac to Učka, 156.5 km (97.2 mi)^[14]

Result of Stage 5[15] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Manuele Boaro (ITA) Bahrain–Merida 4h 15' 54" 2  Łukasz Owsian (POL) CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice + 7" 3  Alessandro Tonelli (ITA) Bardiani–CSF + 10" 4  Jonathan Cañaveral (COL) Bicicletas Strongman–Colombia Coldeportes + 12" 5  Tadej Pogačar (SLO) Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum + 24" 6  Niklas Eg (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 24" 7  Daniel Pearson (GBR) Aqua Blue Sport + 47" 8  Pieter Weening (NED) Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij + 48" 9  Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR) Bahrain–Merida + 48" 10  Nick van der Lijke (NED) Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij + 52"

General classification after Stage 5[15] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR) Bahrain–Merida 23h 29' 01" 2  Pieter Weening (NED) Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij + 8" 3  Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ) Astana + 53" 4  Radoslav Rogina (CRO) Adria Mobil + 1' 15" 5  Niklas Eg (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 1' 24" 6  Daniel Pearson (GBR) Aqua Blue Sport + 2' 10" 7  Rubén Acosta (COL) Bicicletas Strongman–Colombia Coldeportes + 3' 01" 8  Artem Nych (RUS) Gazprom–RusVelo + 3' 08" 9  Gianluca Brambilla (ITA) Trek–Segafredo + 3' 37" 10  Domen Novak (SLO) Bahrain–Merida + 4' 15"

Stage 6

22 April 2018 — Samobor to Zagreb, 151.5 km (94.1 mi)^[16]

Result of Stage 6[1] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Paolo Simion (ITA) Bardiani–CSF 3h 21' 39" 2  Mirco Maestri (ITA) Bardiani–CSF + 11" 3  Eduard-Michael Grosu (ROU) Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini + 25" 4  Fabian Lienhard (SUI) Holowesko Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources + 25" 5  Sondre Holst Enger (NOR) Israel Cycling Academy + 28" 6  Alex Kirsch (LUX) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic + 28" 7  Matej Mohorič (SLO) Bahrain–Merida + 28" 8  Juan José Lobato (ESP) Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini + 28" 9  Vincenzo Albanese (ITA) Bardiani–CSF + 32" 10  Enrico Barbin (ITA) Bardiani–CSF + 32"

Final general classification[1] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR) Bahrain–Merida 26h 51' 12" 2  Pieter Weening (NED) Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij + 11" 3  Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ) Astana + 1' 01" 4  Radoslav Rogina (CRO) Adria Mobil + 1' 18" 5  Niklas Eg (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 1' 27" 6  Daniel Pearson (GBR) Aqua Blue Sport + 2' 19" 7  Artem Nych (RUS) Gazprom–RusVelo + 3' 27" 8  Gianluca Brambilla (ITA) Trek–Segafredo + 3' 37" 9  Jonathan Lastra (ESP) Caja Rural–Seguros RGA + 4' 23" 10  Domen Novak (SLO) Bahrain–Merida + 4' 38"

Classification leadership table

In the 2018 Tour of Croatia, four different jerseys were awarded. The general classification was calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, and allowing time bonuses for the first three finishers at intermediate sprints (three seconds to first, two seconds to second and one second to third) and at the finish of mass-start stages; these were awarded to the first three finishers on all stages: the stage winner won a ten-second bonus, with six and four seconds for the second and third riders respectively. The leader of the classification received a red jersey; it was considered the most important of the 2018 Tour of Croatia, and the winner of the classification was considered the winner of the race.

Points for the mountains classification

Position	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Points for Hors-category	20	15	10	8	6	4	3	2
Points for Category 1	12	8	6	4	2	0
Points for Category 2	6	4	2	0
Points for Category 3	3	2	1

Additionally, there was a points classification, which awarded a blue jersey. In the points classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 15 in a stage. For winning a stage, a rider earned 25 points, with 20 for second, 16 for third, 14 for fourth, 12 for fifth, 10 for sixth and a point fewer per place down to 1 point for 15th place. Points towards the classification could also be accrued – awarded on a 5–3–1 scale – at intermediate sprint points during each stage; these intermediate sprints also offered bonus seconds towards the general classification as noted above.

There was also a mountains classification, the leadership of which was marked by a green jersey. In the mountains classification, points towards the classification were won by reaching the top of a climb before other cyclists. Each climb was categorised as either hors, first, second, or third-category, with more points available for the higher-categorised climbs. The fourth and final jersey represented the classification for young riders, marked by a white jersey. This was decided the same way as the general classification, but only riders born after 1 January 1996 were eligible to be ranked in the classification. There was also a classification for teams, in which the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added together; the leading team at the end of the race was the team with the lowest total time.

Classification leadership by stage

Stage	Winner	General classification	Points classification	Mountains classification	Young rider classification	Team classification
1[7]	Niccolò Bonifazio	Niccolò Bonifazio	Niccolò Bonifazio	Emil Dima	Jon Božič	Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum
2[9]	Eduard-Michael Grosu	Eduard-Michael Grosu	Eduard-Michael Grosu	Peter Koning		Astana
3[11]	Kanstantsin Sivtsov	Kanstantsin Sivtsov		Kanstantsin Sivtsov	Yevgeniy Gidich
4[13]	Alessandro Tonelli
5[15]	Manuele Boaro		Alessandro Tonelli	Peter Koning		Bahrain–Merida
6[1]	Paolo Simion		Eduard-Michael Grosu
Final[1]		Kanstantsin Sivtsov	Eduard-Michael Grosu	Peter Koning	Yevgeniy Gidich	Bahrain–Merida

Final standings

Legend
	Denotes the leader of the General classification
	Denotes the leader of the Points classification
	Denotes the leader of the Mountains classification
	Denotes the leader of the Young rider classification

General classification

Result^[1]

Rank	Rider	Team	Time
1	Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR)	Bahrain–Merida	26h 51' 12"
2	Pieter Weening (NED)	Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij	+ 11"
3	Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ)	Astana	+ 1' 01"
4	Radoslav Rogina (CRO)	Adria Mobil	+ 1' 18"
5	Niklas Eg (DEN)	Trek–Segafredo	+ 1' 27"
6	Daniel Pearson (GBR)	Aqua Blue Sport	+ 2' 19"
7	Artem Nych (RUS)	Gazprom–RusVelo	+ 3' 27"
8	Gianluca Brambilla (ITA)	Trek–Segafredo	+ 3' 37"
9	Jonathan Lastra (ESP)	Caja Rural–Seguros RGA	+ 4' 23"
10	Domen Novak (SLO)	Bahrain–Merida	+ 4' 38"

Points classification

Result^[1]

Rank	Rider	Team	Points
1	Eduard-Michael Grosu (ROU)	Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini	67
2	Alessandro Tonelli (ITA)	Bardiani–CSF	47
3	Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR)	Bahrain–Merida	37
4	Niccolò Bonifazio (ITA)	Bahrain–Merida	37
5	Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ)	Astana	35
6	Mirco Maestri (ITA)	Bardiani–CSF	34
7	Jon Božič (SLO)	Adria Mobil	33
8	Riccardo Minali (ITA)	Astana	33
9	Pieter Weening (NED)	Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij	30
10	Enrico Barbin (ITA)	Bardiani–CSF	29

Mountains classification

Result^[1]

Rank	Rider	Team	Points
1	Peter Koning (NED)	Aqua Blue Sport	35
2	Łukasz Owsian (POL)	CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice	26
3	Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR)	Bahrain–Merida	20
4	Manuele Boaro (ITA)	Bahrain–Merida	15
5	Alessandro Tonelli (ITA)	Bardiani–CSF	15
6	Pieter Weening (NED)	Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij	15
7	Jonathan Cañaveral (COL)	Bicicletas Strongman–Colombia Coldeportes	12
8	Jure Golčer (SLO)	Adria Mobil	12
9	Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ)	Astana	10
10	Emil Dima (ROU)	MsTina–Focus	9

Young rider classification

Result^[1]

Rank	Rider	Team	Time
1	Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ)	Astana	26h 52' 13"
2	Rubén Acosta (COL)	Bicicletas Strongman–Colombia Coldeportes	+ 3' 40"
3	Tadej Pogačar (SLO)	Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum	+ 4' 48"
4	Jonathan Cañaveral (COL)	Bicicletas Strongman–Colombia Coldeportes	+ 6' 01"
5	Daniel Savini (ITA)	Bardiani–CSF	+ 29' 17"
6	Vincenzo Albanese (ITA)	Bardiani–CSF	+ 39' 45"
7	Gorazd Per (SLO)	Adria Mobil	+ 45' 07"
8	Raul-Antonio Sinza (ROU)	MsTina–Focus	+ 48' 33"
9	Viktor Potočki (CRO)	Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum	+ 58' 11"
10	Izidor Penko (CRO)	Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum	+ 58' 40"

Teams classification

Result^[1]

Rank	Team	Time
1	Bahrain–Merida	80h 52' 22"
2	Bicicletas Strongman–Colombia Coldeportes	+ 5' 17"
3	Astana	+ 7' 39"
4	Adria Mobil	+ 16' 54"
5	Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij	+ 20' 01"
6	Bardiani–CSF	+ 20' 18"
7	Meridiana–Kamen	+ 22' 20"
8	Trek–Segafredo	+ 25' 51"
9	Caja Rural–Seguros RGA	+ 37' 44"
10	Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum	+ 43' 29"