Tour of Slovenia, Cat 2.5

Slovenia, May 4-10, 1998

Prologue     Stage 1     Stage 2     Stage 3     Stage 4     Stage 5     Stage 6     Stage 7    

Preview

The Tour of Slovenia is the national tour of the country and is a 7 stage event. The competing teams pit the professional teams Krka Telekom (Slovenia), Mroz (Poland), Linda McCartney (UK), Kross Montanari, Amore e Vita (Italy), ZVVZ (Czech Republic) against the elite teams PP&Radenska Rog, Sava, Savaprojekt, Hit Casino (all Slovenia), Joko (Czech Republic), and the National teams of Ukraine, Slovakia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Great Britain, and the Netherlands.

Prologue, Ptuj, 3 kms:

 1. Olaf Pollack (Ger) Agro Adler                       3.55 (45.96 km/h)
 2. Cesary Zamana (Pol) Mroz                        	0.01
 3. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA-Telekom        		0.02
 4. Tristan Priem (Aus) Kross-Selle Italia     		0.02
 5. P. Sumanov (Bul) KRKA-Telekom      			0.04
 6. Branko Filip (Slo) Krka-Telekom                	0.04
 7. V. Bonca (Slo) PP&RR                        	0.05
 8. B. Premuzic (Slo) PP&RR
 9. A. Hauptman (Slo) PP&RR
10. Kejval (Cze)                                      	0.06
11: Bostjan Mervar (Slo) KRKA-Telekom        		0.08
12. I. Kranjec (Slo) PP&RR
13. T. Valjavec (Slo) Sava                    		0.09 (under 23)
14. R. Petek (Slo) Sava
.. 
    Martin Muller (Ger) Agro- Adler                	0.15

Stage 1, Radenci-Beltinci 198 kms:

A group of 20 cylists escaped about 20 km from the finish. The German Olaf Pollack won the second stage and increased his lead in the GC with time bonuses. The main group was 39 seconds back. 

 1. Olaf Pollack (Ger) Agro-Adler                    4.33.49 (43.438 km/h)
 2. Tomas Konecny (Cze)
 3. Marco Gili (Ita) Kross-Sella Italia
 4. Rajko Petek (Slo) Sava
 5. Arne Hohenstein (Ger) Agro-Adler 
 6. Cesary Zamana (Pol) Mroz
 7.
 8. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA-Telekom			s.t.
 ..
15. Brank Filip (Slo) KRKA-Telekom            		0.03
..
22. Uros Murn (Slo) KRKA- Telekom             		0.39

GC after Stage 1 

  
 1. Olaf Pollack (Ger) Agro-Adler                    4.37.32
 2. Cesary Zamana (Pol) Mroz                     	0.13
 3. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA-Telekom      		0.14
 4. Branko Filip (Slo) KRKA-Telekom            		0.19
 5. Pavel Sumanov (Bul) KRKA- Telekom       		0.19
 6. Rajko Petek (Slo) Sava                              0.21

Stage 2, Maribor-Kranj 195 kms:

The second stage was slightly shortened due to technical reasons. 15 km after the start in Maribor Marko Baloh (Slo, Savaprojekt) attacked from the peloton. He stayed away for almost 60 km (winning 3 sprints - to take the leadership in the points green yersey). He gained a maximum break of 4 minutes before being caught. He was caught by Australian Tristan Priem (Kross-Selle Italia) and overtaken. Priem gained a maximum advantage of 8 min (45 km before the finish line). At the 40 kms to go mark came the Cat 2 climb of Crnivec (901m). Priem went over first and firmed his grip on the mountain's jersey.

The GC was decided on this climb when Pollack lost contact with the first group. Gorazd Stangelj was second over the top (behind Priem) and got 2 seconds bonus that helped him to overtake Zamana in the GC. There was some great work from his KRKA Telekom (Miholjevic, Sumanov, Murn) team which allowed Gorazd Stangelj to get bonus seconds and ultimately to take the yellow yersey.

In the final, slightly uphill sprint of 27 riders, Andrej Hauptman (5th in U-23 1997 WC) of the elite team Perutnina Ptuj&Radenska Rog was the fastest. The best U-23 was Mitja Mahoric from PP&RR.

The main field with the previous yellow yersey Olaf Pollack was 5 min back. 

  1. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) PP&RR                    4.10.51
  2. Bostjan Mervar (Slo) KRKA Telekom
  3. Tomas Konecny (CZ) ZVVZ
  ..
  5. Saso Sviben (Slo) Krka Telekom

27 riders in winning time

GC after Stage 2 

  
  1. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA Telekom              8.48.35
  2. Cesary Zamana (Pol) Mroz                     	0.01
  3. Branko Filip (Slo) Krka Telekom			0.04
  4. Pavel Sumanov (Bul) Krka Telekom			0.04
  5. Rajko Petek (Slo)                    		0.09
  6. Alexander Charapov (Blr) Mroz			0.09
  7. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz			0.12
  8. Tomas Konecny (Cze) ZVVZ				0.20
  9. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) PP&RR            		0.31
 10. Miloslav Kejval (Cze) ZVVZ				0.38

Stage 3, Krsko-Krsko ITT, 18 kms:

  1. Valter Bonca (Slo)                                22.21
  2. Branko Filip (Slo) Krka Telekom			0.18
  3. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA Telekom			0.24
  4. Pavel Sumanov (Bul) Krka Telekom			0.25
  5. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) PP&RR            		0.31
  6. Borut Rovscek (Slo)                           	0.32
  7. Miloslav Kejval (Cze) ZVVZ				0.33
  8. Robert Pintaric (Slo) Krka Telekom			0.43
  9. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz			0.44
 10. Boris Premuzic (Slo)                               0.45

GC after Stage 3 

  
 1. Branko Filip (Slo) Krka Telekom		     9.11.18
 2. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA Telekom			0.02
 3. Pavel Sumanov (Bul) Krka Telekom			0.07
 4. Valter Bonca (Slo)					0.19
 5. Cesary Zamana (Pol) Mroz                     	0.31
 6. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz			0.34
 7. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) PP&RR            		0.40
 8. Tomas Konecny (Cze) ZVVZ				0.46
 9. Miloslav Kejval (Cze) ZVVZ				0.49
10. Borut Rovscek (Slo)                           	0.56

Stage 4, Semic-Semic 85 kms:

 1. Maurizio De Pasquale (Ita) Amore e Vita          2.04.42
 2. Simone Zucchi (Ita) Amore e Vita            	0.09
 3. Tomas Konecny (Cze) ZVVZ
 4. Bostjan Mervar (Slo) KRKA Telekom
 5. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) PP&RR
 6. David Mckenzie (Aus) Kross-Selle Italia
 7. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA Telekom
 8. P. Stojanov (Blg)
 9. Sandi Smerc (Slo)
10. Simone Leporatti (Ita) Amore e Vita

GC after Stage 4 

  
 1. Branko Filip (Slo) Krka Telekom
 2. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA Telekom			0.02
 3. Pavel Sumanov (Bul) Krka Telekom			0.07
 4. Valter Bonca (Slo)					0.19
 5. Cesary Zamana (Pol) Mroz                     	0.31
 6. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz			0.34
 7. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) PP&RR            		0.40
 8. Tomas Konecny (Cze) ZVVZ				0.46
 9. Miloslav Kejval (Cze) ZVVZ				0.49
10. Borut Rovscek (Slo)                           	0.56

Stage 5, Ribnica-Nova Gorica, 230 kms:

Kranjec (Slo) from the PP&RR team and Cotar (Cro) from the Sava team escaped soon after the start and were away for more than 200 kms building up a maximum lead of around 12 minutes. They were caught about 15 km from the finish and the stage was decided by a mass sprint. 

 1. Simone Zucchi (Ita) Amore e Vita                 5.34.41
 2. Tomas Konecny (Cze) ZVVZ
 3. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) PP&RR
 4. David Mckenzie (Aus) Kross-Selle Italia
 5. Peter Rogers (Aus) Amore e Vita
 6. Bostjan Mervar (Slo) Krka Telekom
 7. Tristan Priem (Aus) Kross-Selle Italia
 8. T. Valjavec (Slo)
 9. Rajko Petek (Slo)
10. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA Telekom

GC after Stage 5 

  
 1. Branko Filip (Slo) Krka Telekom                 16.59.50
 2. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA Telekom			0.02
 3. Pavel Sumanov (Bul) Krka Telekom			0.07
 4. Valter Bonca (Slo)					0.19
 5. Cesary Zamana (Pol) Mroz                     	0.31
 6. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz 			0.34
 7. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) PP&RR            		0.36
 8. Tomas Konecny (Cze) ZVVZ				0.36
 9. Miloslav Kejval (Cze) ZVVZ				0.49
10. Borut Rovscek (Slo)                           	0.56

Stage 6, Nova Gorica-Ljubljana 206 kms:

Maurizio de Pasquale won the prestigeus Vrsic climb (1611 m) but was caught later. The sprint of the 3 man group was won ny an Italian Simone Mori, after Saso Sviben raised his hands in celebration too early and was beaten on the line (Sviben later claimed that he was tricked by the Italian, who said he would not sprint)

Life is hard as a www.cyclingnews.com reporter. Peter Trkman writes that Stage 6 finished in his home town of Ljubljana. "My trip to the finish line was a little more expensive than I thought as I was booked on the way back for riding a bike in a forbidden area :=(" 

 1. Simone Mori (Ita) Amore e Vita                   5.20.47
 2. Saso Sviben (Slo) Krka Telekom
 3. Tadej Valjavec (Slo)				s.t.
 4. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA Telekom			0.16
 5. Cesary Zamana (Pol) Mroz
 6. Rajko Petek (Slo)
 7. Mitja Mahoric (Slo)
 8. Trissan Priem (Aus) Kross-Selle Italia
 9. Sharapov (Blr)
10. R. Faltus (Cze)

GC after Stage 6 

 1. Branko Filip (Slo) Krka Telekom                 22.20.53
 2. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) KRKA Telekom			0.02
 3. Pavel Sumanov (Bul) Krka Telekom			0.07
 4. Valter Bonca (Slo)					0.19
 5. Cesary Zamana (Pol) Mroz                     	0.31
 6. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz 			0.34
 7. Tomas Konecny (Cze) ZVVZ                		0.36
 8. Saso Sviben (Slo) Krka Telekom          		0.48
 9. Miloslav Kejval (Cze) ZVVZ				0.49
10. Rajko Petek (Slo) Sava				1.13

Stage 7, Grosuplje-Novo mesto, 170 kms:

The last stage was flat and Krka had an easy job to hold the jellow jersey. The stage ended in mass sprint. All jerseys (except of course yellow) were taken by the best Slovenian amateur team Perutnina Ptuj & Radenska Rog 

 1. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) PP&R                       4.17.10
 2. Simone Zucchi (Ita) Amore e Vita
 3. Bostjan Mervar (Slo) Krka Telekom
 4. Tomas Konecny  (Cze) ZVVZ
 5. R. Faltus (Cze)
 6. David McKenzie (Aus) Kross-Selle Italia
 7. Rajko Petek (Slo) Sava
 8. Maurizio De Pasquale (Ita) Amore e Vita
 9. P. Stojanov (Bul)
10. A. Charapov  (Blr)

Final GC: 

 1. Branko Filip (Slo) Krka Telekom                 26.38.01
 2. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Krka Telekom        		0.04
 3. Pavel Sumanov (Bul) Krka Telekom        		0.09
 4. Valter Bonca (Slo) PP&RR               		0.21
 5. Cezary Zamana (Pol) Mroz                		0.33
 6. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz              	0.33
 7. Tomas Konecny (Cze) ZVVZ                		0.38
 8. Saso Sviben (Slo) Krka Telekom        		0.50
 9. Miloslav Kejval (Cze) ZVVZ                		0.51
10. Rajko Petek (Slo) Sava                		1.13

Green (Intermediate sprints) - Igor Kranjec (Slo) PP&RR
Blue (stage places) - Andrej Hauptman (Slo) PP&RR
Best Climber) - Igor Kranjec (Slo) PP&RR
White (best young rider) - Mitja Mahoric (Slo) PP&RR
Peter Trkman has reported from Slovenia with some help from Ales