Istrian Spring Trophy Results (trough Stage 2)

I'll update this with new results and some analysis from now thru Sunday

Prologue 2km

The prologue course went around the harbor in Umag. Pretty straightfoward, out and back course with a grand total of about 3 turns. Weather was a big factor with rain plaguing the 2nd half of the race giving the advantage to the early starters.  Luke Roberts (Stölting-Ruhr) dominated the course, beating out 18-year old teammate Silvio Herklotz by 4 seconds. A major factor in this was Roberts use of a full on TT bike while Herklotz used a standard road bike with an aero helmet. Team Stölting dominated the day by putting 4 riders into the top 8 positions.

1. Luke Roberts (Stölting) 2:15"
2. Silvio Herklotz (Stölting) +:04"
3. Oscar Landa (Osterhus-Ridley) s.t.
4. Phan Age Haugard (OneCo-Mesterhus) s.t.
5. Maximilian Werda (Stölting) s.t.
6. Vladimir Dzhus (ISD Continental) s.t.
7. Jesus Ezquerra (Leopard-Trek) +:05"
8. Nils Plotner (Stölting) s.t.
9. Krister Hagen (OneCo-Mesterhus) s.t.
10. Mario Schoibl (Tirol) s.t.
11. Matej Mugerli (Adria Mobil) s.t.

Very impressed with Herklotz, who was a junior phenom, and same goes for his teammate Werda.

Stage 1 159km

As expected at some points, Matej Mugerli (Adria Mobil) attacked the final climb and got a gap big enough to win the stage and overhaul Luke Roberts (Stölting) for his overall lead.  A breakaway got away but was kept in check by the Stölting squad, who spent all day on the front protecting Roberts. The final beast of a climb was too much for the German squad as Mugerli attacked with teammate Radoslav Rogina. Mugerli had a healthy gap at the finish line that gave him the stage and the overall.

Photo by Andrej Filip via bicikel.com

Stage 1 results

1. Matej Mugerli (Adria Mobil) 
2. Radoslav Rogina (Adria Mobil) +5"
3. Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-iHNed) +9"
4. Jan Polanc (Radenska) +11"
5. Olivier Hofstetter (Leopard-Trek) s.t.
6. Tadej Valjavec (Sava) s.t.
7. Sergey Renev (Astana Continental) s.t. 
8. Silvio Herklotz (Stölting) s.t.

Overall

1. Matej Mugerli (Adria Mobil)
2. Radoslav Rogina (Adria Mobil) +10"
3. Luke Roberts (Stölting) +16"
4. Silvio Herklotz (Stölting) +20"
5. Jesus Ezquerra (Leopard-Trek) +21"

Full Results HERE (via Pro Cycling Stats)

Herklotz is still impressing me. He is only 18 right now and is able to keep up quite well. Alaphilippe is going very well in his first stage race after his cyclo-cross campaign; Etixx-iHNed should be happy with him. Also in the first group at 11 seconds was last year's junior World Champion Matej Mohoric, which is impressive to see on an uphill finish. Other young notables in the front group include Luka Pibernik (Radenska), Jesus Ezquerra (Leopard-Trek), Karel Hnik (Etixx-iHNed) and Haavard Blikra (OsterHus-Ridley). 3rd place from yesterday, Oscar Landa, had to pull out of the race after catching a flu bug.

Overall, a lot of U23 riders made the front group that finished at 11 seconds and look to be primed for the weekend. 

Stage 2

Such a horrible graphic but oh well.

Our old friend Patrik Sinkewitz (Meridiana Kamen) won the 2nd stage today on the uphill finish into Motovun. The 2nd stage wqas the most difficult stage of the race and Adria Mobil was under pressure during the 2nd half of the stage. Tadej Valjavec (Sava) started the attacking on the 2nd to last climb but was brought back in and a large group of around 50 made it to the last climb. Sinkewitz pulled away on the last part of the climb, distancing Valjavec and young Silvio Herklotz (Stoelting).

Stage

1. Patrick Sinkewitz (Meridiana Kamen)
2. Tadej Valjavec (Sava) +1"
3. Silvio Herklotz (Stoelting) +3"
4. Jan Polanc (Radenska) +5"
5. Radoslav Rogina (Adria Mobil) s.t.

Overall

1. Matej Mugerli
2. Radoslav Rogina +7"
3. Patrik Sinkewitz s.t.
4. Silvio Herklotz +11"
5. Tadej Valjavec +17"

I am very impressed with Herklotz this week. He is putting in consistent performances on a variety of courses and I am excited to see what he can do in his first elite season. Polanc, still a U23, is impressive as well. Jesus Ezquerra (Leopard-Trek) is now sitting 6th on G.C. after a strong 8th place today. His Leopard-Trek teammate Kristian Jensen is now 7th on G.C. after finishing 9th today into Motovun. Etixx-iHNed seemed to be caught out today as three of their men (Julian Alaphilippe, Karel Hnik and Tomas Koudela) came in at 26 seconds down. I thought Alaphilippe, who was 3rd on the finishing climb yesterday, could do more today.

Stage 3