Time bonuses (sec): 30-20-15-10-7-5
City circuit race in the oldest town in Slovenia.
This stage will hurt. It’s not flat, it’s certainly not hilly either. It’s simply mean. This will reap the legs apart. It is going to be a sprinters festival. They love to acelerate from the corners, turnarounds, the climbs are only 20-30sec long, something they don’t need to worry about at all. But even for the sprinter on the good day, it won’t be easy. It is constant up and down, twice over the old Drava river bridge and a short ascent to the old city center. Up-Rest-Up-Rest-Up-Rest and repeat. Repeat for 16, 17 or 18 times. Thanks to RGT’s algorithm of braking in curves it will be rhytm breaker, no sleep for anyone, since every few hundred meters your speed will be down and new acceleration will be must. And most importantly, because of this twisty, criterium style nature it will give many oportunities to attack.
There might be quite some altitude gain on first sight, but that’s nothing fast mens wouldn’t be able to survive, Thus the stage offers the biggest amount of time bonuses for first places. It’s an oportunity sprinters must not miss if they are serious about GC competition.
Etnology and antropology spark
Most people know city of Ptuj (latin Poetovio) as the oldest town in Slovenia. But seldom are aknowledged to the fact that first known antiques with written mention of Poetoviona is exactly 1.950 years old. With so many history to offer it’s a perfect place to visit throughout the year.