4Islands Croatia - Stage 1: New men´s leaders and an extended women´s lead

Within the first 15 kilometres of the day the field had been split into the contenders and the chasers.

Hans Becking and José Dias led the chase group with Simon Schneller and Axel Roudil-Cortinat, Pierre Billaud and Théo Dupras. The second group on the trails was able to maintain the gap to the leaders on the descents, but each time the route went uphill Nicola Taffarel, Massimo Rosa, Wout Alleman and Pablo Rodriguez Guede eked out a handful more seconds. Taffarel and Rosa’s victory, by 57 seconds over Baum and Egger leapfrogs Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team 1 into a 36 second general classification lead. Miguel Munoz and Luis Martínez are third, at 2 minutes and 13 seconds.

Wust and Van Doorn’s 65 kilometre solo effort saw them win the stage by 3 minutes and 12 seconds over CANNONDALE ISB SPORT’s Monica Calderon and Meritxell Figueras, extending their advantage to 3 minutes and 26 seconds in the process. Behind the top two teams a battle is developing for third position. The Slovakians, Janka Keseg Stevkova and Martina Krahulcova had spent much of the stage on their own on the trails until Daniela Höfler and Alessia Nay reeled them in, in the closing kilometres.

STAGE 1 – MEN

1. Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team 1: Nicola Taffarel (ITA) & Massimo Rosa (ITA) (2:46:50)
2. ORBEA Leatt Speed Company: Georg Egger (GER) & Lukas Baum (GER) (2:47:47 | +57)
3. Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty 2: Miguel Munoz (ESP) & Luis Martínez (ESP) (2:48:58 | +2:08)  

STAGE 1 - WOMEN

1. BUFF MEGAMO Women : Janina Wüst (SUI) & Rosa van Doorn (NED) (3:26:32)    
2. CANNONDALE ISB SPORT: Monica Calderon (COL) & Meritxell Figueras (ESP) (3:29:44 | +3:12)
3. 8capital: Janka Keseg Stevkova (SVK) & Martina Krahulcova (SVK) (3:33:42| +7:10)