Sacha Modolo (UAE Team Emirates) took his first victory of the season at the opening stage of the Tour of Croatia, outsprinting Nippo-Vini Fantini riders Eduard Grosu and Nicolas Marini.
UAE Team Emirates controlled the breakaway of five riders which led the stage in the central part and then managed to neutralize the attack attempts on the climb of Ludbreg, the only hill of the course.
Modolo was the fastest on the arrival in Koprivnika, obtaining his first 42nd victory in career.
Modolo described his victory: “Team was perfect in leading me to the front positions in the approach of the last kilometer and in avoiding problems in the last two bends”
“Ferrari began his role as pilot-fish in the final 1000 meters and he was great as usual: he knows which is the best speed and when it’s time to launch the sprint: timing is very important in sprints on long straight, as today one.
“I was the first to start the sprint, I felt my legs were very good and I avoided to be overtaken by the opponents. This victory is very good in the approach of the Giro d’Italia”.
SACHA MODOLO ????@SachaModolo @TeamUAEAbuDhabi vince in volata la 1a tappa del @Tour_of_Croatia #EurosportCICLISMO pic.twitter.com/qLJKHvqu0x
— Eurosport IT (@Eurosport_IT) 18 aprilie 2017
Tour of Croatia 2017 – stage 1 results (Osijek – Koprivnica):
| 1 | Sacha Modolo (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | 5:24:19 |
| 2 | Eduard Grosu (Nippo – Vini Fantini) | ,, |
| 3 | Nicolas Marini (Nippo – Vini Fantini) | ,, |
| 4 | Dylan Page (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) | ,, |
| 5 | Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) | ,, |
| 6 | Riccardo Minali (Astana) | ,, |
| 7 | Marco Canola (Nippo – Vini Fantini) | ,, |
| 8 | Ivan Savitckii (Gazprom – Rusvelo) | ,, |
| 9 | Martijn Verschoor (Novo Nordisk) | ,, |
| 10 | Dusan Rajovic (Adria Mobil) | ,, |
