The 2026 season continues at high speed as the team competes in two countries simultaneously. In Croatia, the Istrian Spring Trophy opened with a prologue at the local airport. Under sunny skies and a light breeze that influenced the timing, Erik Fetter secured a strong position within the top 20. The technical course featured two 180-degree turns, requiring a focused warm-up and precise handling. András Pakot also showed good form, successfully returning to action after a crash in Poreč.
Erik Fetter:
“I feel it went a bit better than last year. I started a bit faster and tried to maintain that until the end. It seems this was a better tactic. It was similar to the attack in Umag, but here I had to go completely alone; there, I could use the peloton and the momentum to keep going. Plus, here everyone could start with fresh legs, whereas there you had to perform at the end of the race while tired. The latter usually suits me better. I want to make the most of every day and achieve the best possible result on all stages.”
András Pakot:
“I like these stages, but I didn’t prepare for them specifically. It seems I’m not doing too badly.
My crash in Poreč wasn’t serious, it just annoyed me because it happened in the last 10 kilometers and from there, after a bike change and a destroyed wheel, I couldn’t get back. I escaped with a few grazes.
I’m curious about the next stages because now it will really be revealed how the preparation went, but I feel good. I definitely want to finish and enjoy myself. I’m happy to work for the others if a good result or even a victory depends on it: the main thing is that the winner comes from our team. I’m most looking forward to the second stage with the Motovun hill finish at the end.”
In Greece, the Tour of Rhodes prologue became a matter of resilience. A stomach virus has swept through the squad, preventing Csongor Kardos and Nikolaos Michail Drakos from starting, with Nikos requiring a hospital visit for recovery. Despite the reduced roster and health struggles, Nikiforos Arvanitou delivered a fighting performance to claim a top 10 finish. The team is now focusing its efforts on supporting Tomáš Přidal for the general classification, as he remains the only rider at full strength. Veljko Stojnić also completed the stage, prioritizing recovery for the days ahead.
Nikiforos Arvanitou:
“This prologue suited me. The plan was to go full gas from the beginning of the course and to be careful with the two difficult corners.
I am a bit dissatisfied as I wasn’t at my best today. Just like my teammates, I caught a stomach virus a few days ago, so I didn’t push the numbers I had in mind. However, considering that I am still recovering and still having some issues, it is a solid result before the next stages.
I am looking forward to all the stages, but the first two suit me best. I will try to bring home the best possible placings, as always. I can never get bored of Rhodes: I am doing my job here, which is the very thing I love the most.”
Veljko Stojnić:
“We didn’t know what to expect from today’s prologue since most of the team has been sick over the last couple of days. I felt decent on the bike today, but I didn’t want to risk too much because I am still far from 100%. Usually, I like these prologues and perform okay in them.
We are hoping for good legs in the next few days or a stage win, maybe even the General Classification: why not?”
Photo: Márton Sitku / https://www.instagram.com/marchives.raw/; Nassos Triantafyllou / https://www.cyclingphotos.gr/
