Michiel Coppens Wins the 11th Grand Prix of Slovenian Istria Powered by I Feel Slovenia

Belgian Michiel Coppens broke away from the leading group 16 kilometres before the finish and claimed victory in Izola with a 43-second lead over the first chasing group. The best Slovenian, Žak Eržen, finished in 16th place.

The weather forecast was unfavorable, but Izola was sunny by the morning. Spring temperatures were ideal for racing, and, thanks to strong wind, the roads had completely dried up before the start. The peloton fractured not sooner than in the final large lap.

A Dynamic Race from Start to Finish

Among the 29 teams, four were Slovenian: Adria Mobil, Factor Racing, Pogi Team Gusto Ljubljana, and Ribno Alpine Resort Bled. On paper, the strongest development teams were XDS Astana and Bahrain Victorious. The latter featured Jakob Omrzel and Žak Eržen. Last year’s winner, Polish rider Marcin Budziński, also took part, this year racing for the Czech team ATT Investment.

Attempts to breakaway were frequent in the early laps, but no rider managed to establish a significant lead. The race unfolded in an unconventional manner, with a constant battle for the best climber points on the four ascents of Baredi. By the fourth climb, the peloton had already splintered, with four riders tied at the top with five points each: Henrique Da Silva Avancini (Factor Racing), Erik Fetter (Team United Shipping), Francesco Parravano (MG.K Vis Costruzioni e Ambiente), and Jakob Omrzel. The final classification was determined at the finish line!

In the Dragonja Valley, 43 km before the finish, New Zealand champion Paul Wright (Factor Racing) managed to break away. He was soon joined by other riders, including Fetter, Avancini, and Budziński brothers, Tomasz (Voster ATS Team) and last year's winner Marcin. The only Slovenian to join the breakaway group was Mihael Štajnar (Pogi Team Gusto Ljubljana), forming a leading group of fifteen riders as they entered the local laps in Izola.

The Decisive Attack in Izola

During the smaller laps around Izola, Piotr Pekala (ATT Investments) launched the first attack, winning the first intermediate sprint. However, the decisive move came 16 kilometres before the finish when Michiel Coppens (Beat Cycling Club) successfully attacked, having already attempted to breakaway in the third lap. The Belgian rider crossed the second and third intermediate sprints first. The chasers lacked cohesion, allowing Coppens to extend his lead to 43 seconds by the finish, securing his first victory in a categorized race.

His teammate Friets Biesterbos won the sprint from the nine-rider chasing group, with Tomasz Budziński finishing third. Coppens also claimed the points classification for intermediate sprints. The mountain classification was won by Avancini, a two-time mountain bike marathon champion, who finished eighth – his best result on the road in his first season.

The sprint from the large chasing group for 16th place was won by Žak Eržen, while Tilen Finkšt (Adria Mobil) finished 18th.

The winner shared his thoughts at the finish, emphasizing the importance of his early attack in the third lap: “It was pretty hard, so I tried to anticipate the climb, and that really worked. On the descent, I saw I was with two other guys. On the local laps, there were a lot of attacks, but I had two teammates with me and told them I was feeling great. At first, I wanted to wait for the sprint, but then I saw an opportunity to attack, so I took it. I knew I had two teammates behind if I got caught. In the end, it was like a small time trial, so I am very happy.”

Similar Competition Expected at the Grand Prix Brda-Collio Powered by I Feel Slovenia

The Slovenian spring racing program continues on Thursday, March 27, with the second edition of the Grand Prix Brda-Collio Powered by I Feel Slovenia. The race starts at 11 AM at Dobrovo Castle, followed by ten 15-kilometer laps through the Slovenian Brda and Italian Collio regions.

The three-race series concludes on Sunday, March 30, with the I Feel Slovenia Grand Prix Adria Mobil in Novo Mesto. Both races will be broadcast live on Planet 2 and available for streaming on the Slovenian Cycling Federation’s YouTube channel – @Sloveniacycling.