Dylan Groenewegen is chasing records at the Tour of Slovenia

The 30th edition of the international cycling race Tour of Slovenia started with a stage from Murska Sobota to Ormož. Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco AlUla) won the stage in an extremely close sprint, but we’ll also remember the stage by an extremely long breakaway and, of course, the race route that went through four countries in a single day!

The start of the anniversary edition was more nervous than everyone would have liked, but riders quickly excepted the additional kilometers that were added to the stage in the last moment. The 205 km long route itself was not significantly affected by the detour due to the floods, and the riders still crossed sections of Austria, Croatia and Hungary, perhaps for the first time in the history of cycling racing, riding in four countries in one day. We also had an extremely long breakaway, which only ended in the last lap in Ormož. Szymon Tracz (Santic-Wibatech), Tomáš Kalojíros (Pierre Baguette Cycling), Dylan Hopkins (Ljubljana Gusto Santic), Aljaž Turk (Adria Mobil) and Matic Žumer (Sava Kranj Cycling) worked together and won all three intermediate sprints and single K.O.M prime.

But of course the WorldTour teams could not allow anything else, and the race was decided in a sprint finish. Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco AlUla) won in photo finish, followed closely by Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility) and Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious). This also made the spectators the winners, as it is a real pleasure to watch these world-class aces on Slovenian roads. The best placed Slovenian on today's stage was Anže Ravbar (UEA Team Emirates) in 18th place.

Dylan Groenewegen: “It was a hectic race, but on the end the team did a really good job bringing me in the good position. We're boxed in a lot of times, but I think it was the same for everyone, on the end we had a good moment. It’s a little bit sad that Luka Mezgec crashed, but he crossed the finish line and did also a very strong leadout. Not as the last guy, but today as the second last guy. He did a really good job and that also shows the motivation of this team, everybody is fighting for the victory. It was a victory for the team.”

Also worth mentioning:
- The organizers had to detour the race due to flooding, which meant that the stage was extended by 13.6 km, to a total of 205.8 km.
- The most combative rider of the day was definitely Slovenian Matic Žumer (Sava Kranj Cycling), who won two intermediate sprints and was in the breakaway almost until the end of the stage, even in a solo attack at the end.
- Despite Luka Mezgec crashing, it was still a very successful day for Team Jayco AlUla – they won the stage were also the best of the day.

Winners of the intermediate sprints
Dobrovnik: Matic Žumer (Sava Kranj Cycling)
Gorišnica: Matic Žumer (Sava Kranj Cycling)
Ormož: Jhonatan Manuel Narvaez Prado (INEOS Grenadiers)

Winner of the K.O.M. prime - Jeruzalem (4th category): Tomáš Kalojíros (Pierre Baguette Cycling)

Leader’s jerseys
Green: Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco AlUla)
Red: Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco AlUla)
Indigo: Tomas Kalojíros (Pierre Baguette Cycling)
White: Alexander Jonathan Guatibonza Becerra (UAE Team Emirates)