An immediate shift into the rugged interior of eastern Istria opens the second stage. Punchy hills define the morning as the tarmac snakes past old stone villages toward Labin.
The main spectacle starts where the asphalt hits the coast at Plomin Bay. A steady climb tackles the cliffs, topping out at a high viewpoint over the deep blue Kvarner Gulf and the islands of Cres and Krk.
Next, the route follows the coastal highway, cutting through the historic villas of Lovran and the grand waterfront of Opatija. Fast rolling along the coastline brings the day to a solid finish in the industrial port city of Rijeka.
