Episode 176
Dobra večer, prijatelji! Tko je žedan? Who’s thirsty?
If you are, join us as we head to the kafić.
We’ll learn some vocabulary that you will see on a drink menu.
These are important words to know if you are ready to sit in
peace, or maybe get a party started.
It’s Tony D’s treat! Nema problema!
Lesson
drink menu - cijenik pića
non-alcoholic drinks - bezalkoholni napitci
hot drinks - topli napitci
beer - pivo
draft beer - točeno pivo
spirits - žestoka pića
foreign hard alcohol- strana žestoka pića
domestic spirits - domaća žestoka pića
cocktails - kokteli
Super Slatko Report
If you’ve ever sat back and looked at a map of Croatia and thought to yourself, “wow….this place is special.” The fine people from CRO Race thought the same thing but added bikes! Cro Race, officially launched in 2015 under its original name, the Tour of Croatia, the race was the brainchild of sports event organizer Vladimir Miholjević, a former pro cyclist who decided retirement needed a little more uphill suffering. His goal? Showcase Croatia’s landscapes, boost tourism, and put the country firmly on the professional cycling map. It later rebranded to “CRO Race” in 2019, with a shorter name, and easier to rhyme when creating sideline rally chants. Ahem… Cro race, fast pace, wind in your face, jellybean briefcase? Nahhh, that one still needs work…
The CRO Race typically unfolds over 6 stages, each acting like its own mini-adventure. Stage lengths usually range between 130–230 kilometers (about 80–143 miles), depending on terrain and how cruel the organizers are feeling that day, “May the odds be ever in your favor”. When you add it all up, riders cover roughly 1,000 to 1,200 kilometers (620–745 miles) across the week.
When you think about it:
That’s like riding a bike from Los Angeles to, the Bay Area, Baja Mexico or Arizona.
Better yet, it’s like riding from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, or Sarejevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina or even the Albanian border, passing through Montenegro. Wow.
Over the years, dozens of Croatian cities and regions have hosted stages in Cro Race; from coastal gems to inland climbs, making it less of a race “through” Croatia and more of a full blown national tour.
The Cro Race route selection isn’t random, it’s a calculated blend of beauty, brutality, and business. Yes, the Adriatic coastline delivers jaw-dropping visuals, but organizers also seek out elevation changes that test riders, which shake up the standings. Inland regions bring rolling hills and technical finishes; while coastal roads offer wind, speed, and scenery that screams “buy a plane ticket and visit Croatia now!” Beyond the sport, there’s a major tourism and economic play here, host cities benefit from global TV exposure, increased bookings, and a temporary injection of cycling fans who eat, drink, and spend Euros.
For those not too familiar with how cycling works: this isn’t just about the first person who pedals faster wins. The CRO Race follows the same structure as elite stage races like the Tour de France. Riders compete in teams (usually 6–8 cyclists), each with specific roles; leaders aiming for overall victory, domestiques sacrificing their legs to support them, and sprinters or climbers depending on terrain.
*A special shout out note on cycling’s Domestiques. The term Domestique is French for servant. Their job on the team is to sacrifice their own chance of winning and support the designated “leader.” This role is wild, their job on the team is to:
Provide wind protection for the leader, by facing wind head on, providing a slip stream for the leader
Fetch supplies, meaning they drop back to the team car, load up on water bottles and food, then catch back up and bring it to the leader
They are also to act as a sudo-mechanic when the team car isn’t nearby, in case of a leader getting a flat or should they crash, they are supposed to give up their own wheel or even their bike.
Some times they will have to set a relentless pace to control the entire pack of riders, aka the peloton. Or maybe catch up to breakaway riders, or even help pace an exhausted leader back to the group.
There’s even a Super Domestique role, their job is to stay with the leader in super crazy brutal, high altitude climbs.
So shout out to the Domestique’s out there, I salute you!
The overall winner wears the red jersey (general classification leader), while other jerseys reward sprinters (points), climbers (mountains), and best young riders. Teams are considered, professional trade teams, not national squads; meaning they’re sponsored entities, often part of the global UCI WorldTour ecosystem.
*what does UCI stand for? Union Cycliste Internationale, French for International Cycling Union. It is the worldwide governing body for sports cycling, responsible for overseeing international competitive events, setting regulations, managing race rankings, and promoting various cycling disciplines.
Lets look back at the most recent 2025 CRO Race that took place in late September. Traditionally taking place in early autumn, which is prime time for pleasant weather and slightly less tourist chaos. Riders tackled a mix of coastal and inland stages, often starting along the Adriatic before cutting into Croatia’s interior for hillier, more tactical racing. Race stages weaved through places like Splits-adjacent coastlines, central Croatian towns, and finished in the north near Croatias capital region, near Zagreb. Around 20 teams participated, bringing a mix of WorldTour and ProTeams. The general classification battle came down to consistency across stages; time gaps, bonus seconds, and not crashing into a vineyard at 60 km/h (37mph). Ultimately returning 2024 winner, the American Brandon McNulty was crowned as the 2025 winner, who is a well-rounded rider was able to climb, and sprint just enough, to survive the week better than everyone else.
So who is this spectator race for? Honestly, everyone, but in very different ways. For locals, it means temporary road closures, a brief disruption to daily life, and a front-row seat to a global sporting event rolling past their front door. Cafés fill up, apartments get booked, and there’s a noticeable economic bump. For visitors, it’s surprisingly accessible; watching roadside is free, which feels like a steal considering the caliber of athletes zooming by. Hotels in stage towns can spike in price, but not to absurd levels; Croatia hasn’t gone full “Olympics/ World Cup pricing” here. You can easily stay nearby, grab a coffee, and cheer as the cyclists pass you by in a matter of seconds.
In the final stage, the CRO Race is equal parts elite sport, national showcase, and moving travel commercial. A rolling highlight reel of Croatia’s coastlines, mountains, and charming towns. Since its debut, it’s gained legitimacy within the professional cycling calendar, attracting top-tier teams and riders who treat it as both a competitive race and a late-season proving ground. While it hasn’t quite reached the pop-culture dominance of cycling’s giants, it’s steadily building a reputation; and let’s be honest, any race that combines world-class athletes with Adriatic views deserves its very own special winners Jersey. The next Cro Race edition typically returns in late September, once again weaving through Croatia’s greatest hits. So if you’re planning a visit, you might just find yourself accidentally attending a world-class cycling event. Cro Race, fast pace, mama jeans, spaghetti face. That’s the one! I think I nailed it….
Thanks to LLC POD listener, Carl B., appreciate you sending this topic our way.
And that’s it for the Super Slatko Report.
