Blind crests, high-speed jumps and 20 demanding stages await crews at the FIA World Rally Championship's fourth round - and it’s by no means an ordinary asphalt rally. On a surface which varies from super-smooth via worn to badly broken, these roads are slippery even when dry.
Based in capital city Zagreb, Thursday evening’s start ceremony at the National and University library hosts the pre-cursor to three days of competition.
Friday’s opening leg heads to the highland areas of Samoborsko Gorje, Žumberak and the Karlovac region, west and south-west of the city. It is the longest of the event, featuring 130.18km of action.
It begins with the two longest tests of the day at Mali Lipovec - Grdanjci (19.20km) and Stojdraga - Hartje (25.67km), which has been extended by around 5km since last year. It’s a narrow and twisty affair which has been billed ‘the stage of a thousand bends’.
They are followed by two shorter but faster stages at Krašić - Vrškovac (11.11km) and Pećurkovo Brdo - Mrežnički Novaki (9.11km). Service at Zagreb Fair splits the morning loop and an afternoon re-run of the quartet.
Saturday returns to similar territory and opens with Kostanjevac - Petruš Vrh (23.76km). It is followed by Vinski Vrh - Duga Resa (8.78km), which features a picturesque crossing of the Dobra River, and the all-new Ravna Gora - Skrad (10.13km) before Platak (15.63km) completes the loop. All four tests are repeated in the afternoon after service, bringing the day’s total to 116.60km.
Sunday’s finale north of Zagreb features the widest roads of the weekend. The opening Trakošćan - Vrbno (13.15km) starts close to a 13th century lakeside castle amid stunning scenery and is followed by Zagorska Sela - Kumrovec (14.09km).
Both technical tests are driven twice, taking the day’s total to 54.48km, with the final blast forming the Wolf Power Stage where bonus points are on offer to the fastest crews.
The 20 tests comprise 301.26km in a total route of 1650.68km.
• Full coverage from Croatia Rally will be available on WRC+ All Live here, including every stage broadcast as it happens as well as key interviews, features and expert analysis from the service park.
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