Novalja, 10 April 2024 – The world cycling elite will gather again on Pag after last year’s triumph by Portuguese cyclist Iuri Gabriel Dantas Leitão in Novalja. In a thrilling final sprint on the second stage of the CRO Race, Leitão secured first place, and thanks to the footage that went worldwide, Novalja and Pag rightfully earned their place on the global map of cycling destinations.
Leading up to the most important cycling race in Croatia, today in the City Hall, a new Cooperation Agreement was signed between TOP SPORT EVENTS, the race organizer, and the City of Novalja, which last year became the first island host of the finish line in the race’s history. Alongside CRO Race director Vladimir Miholjević, the Cooperation Agreement was signed by the Mayor of the City of Novalja and the President of the Tourist Board of the City of Novalja, Ivan Dabo, as well as the Director of the Tourist Board of the City of Novalja, Marina Šćiran. This also marks the beginning of preparations for the CRO Race 2024, which will take place from 1 to 6 October, and according to the organizers’ announcements and audience expectations, another strong edition lies ahead.
“After an exceptionally successful season, signing the Cooperation Agreement with the City of Novalja represents a logical step in the development of cooperation and synergy between us as organizers and the local government, which transcends through sports to other segments of society. I am pleased that Novalja has recognized the international significance of the race in terms of promotion and potential benefits because the goal of the CRO Race from the very beginning has been set, alongside the sporting aspect, to provide additional value for all partners. We have kept the race on the island again this year because Novalja lives up to our expectations and trust, which means a lot to us as organizers”, stated Vladimir Miholjević, director of the CRO Race.
This collaboration not only promotes Novalja on the national and global stage, attracting sports enthusiasts and tourists, but also offers an exchange of experience and knowledge in organizing sports events, which in the long run can lead to improvement in the sports infrastructure and tourist offerings of Novalja and Pag.
“I am extremely pleased that the City of Novalja will once again host one of the stages this year, and that TOP SPORT EVENTS has recognized us as a significant partner in realizing this top-tier sports experience. The return of the strongest names from the world of cycling to the Moon Island will reaffirm our presence on the global cycling map. The signing of this Cooperation Agreement also brings us closer to our goal of positioning Novalja as an active tourism destination, and the excitement of our citizens and tourists from last year’s race inspires us to be excellent hosts once again”, stated Ivan Dabo, Mayor of Novalja.
The tourism significance of the CRO Race was also emphasized by Marina Šćiran, the Director of the Tourist Board of the City of Novalja: “Last year, we hosted the finish line of the second stage, and participating in the ninth edition of the CRO Race provides us with a truly unique opportunity to once again showcase the beautiful scenery of Novalja and the ambiance of the entire island of Pag to both domestic and international audiences. Thanks to our long-term focus on active and sports tourism, Novalja has built a new vision of tourism development. The CRO Race is an integral part of that progress, and its impact is evident in the destination’s results and the positive reactions of all participants”.
Among other things, CRO Race is specific in the sense that, in addition to well-known destinations, it strives – and succeeds – in introducing new areas into the story each year, thus bringing closer to all regions of Croatia, and the newly signed Cooperation Agreement with the City of Novalja confirms this. Thanks to the CRO Race, Croatia will be transformed into a unique sports arena for the ninth time, with its scenes once again reaching audiences worldwide. Speaking of global visibility, viewers around the world have the opportunity to see some of the most representative parts of our country and its cultural-historical heritage. Due to significant international audience interest, last year’s race was broadcasted on six continents in more than 190 countries, reaching approximately 1.5 billion global viewers.
Judging by previous editions and the continuously raised standard each year, there will be no shortage of quality in the sporting and competitive segment this year as well. Spectators can expect nothing less than a spectacular performance from top teams in the UCI WorldTeams, UCI ProTeams, and UCI Continental Teams categories.
