Victory goes to Australia again, Kristijan Koren takes excellent second place

The time trial was opened by the Italian rider Gianluca Leonardi, while the last to start the race against the clock was last year’s Tour of Slovenia winner, the Croatian rider Radoslav Rogina, member of the Novo mesto Adria Mobil team who achieved a time of 10.51.

The winner of the first stage, the Australian Michael Matthews (Orica Green Edge) who shone in the Giro d’Italia this year by garnering a victory in a stage that ended with a 6-kilometre climb had the following to say after the time trial: “I didn’t race for four weeks, so I’m thrilled to be riding again and stretching my legs in a competition. I am quite satisfied with the result, but the race for me is more of a preparation for the Tour de France.”