31st Zambelli Memorial in Rupa


More than 200 cyclists take part in the 31st Zambelli Memorial in Rupa

More than 200 cyclists from Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Serbia and Hungary gathered in Rupa on Sunday, 27 September, for the 31st Zambelli Memorial, organized by Cycling Club Rijeka. This year’s edition offered a high-quality international competition and confirmed the continued growth of the event, which successfully returned to the racing calendar last year after a several-year break. The strong turnout of international teams gave this year’s race a distinctly international character, while also providing young local cyclists with an opportunity to compete on their home roads against riders from different cycling backgrounds. The Memorial gained additional significance through its inclusion in the Croatian Cup and Slovenian Pokal competitions. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that the Zambelli Memorial is the only race outside Slovenia included in the Slovenian Pokal calendar. This represents important recognition for the organizers and provides further encouragement for the continued development of the event.
 
 
Memorial Results

In the cadet race, held over a 72.5-kilometre course, all three podium places went to Slovenian riders. Anže Rant of Factor Racing was the winner with a time of 1:50:00. Denis Lebar finished second, while Taji Čebular Kidrič took third place. The best-placed rider from Cycling Club Rijeka was Lan Marić, who finished seventh, 3:52 behind the winner, making him the highest-placed Croatian cyclist. Gabrijel Petrušić finished 31st, while Lukas Miljković crossed the finish line in 36th place. In the U15 boys’ category, the victory went to Hungarian rider Lőrinc Bogner of Kőbánya Cycling Team, ahead of Slovenian riders Teodor Muratović and Tevž Meh. In the separate men’s classification, Adrian Alempijević finished 16th, Lovro Radelja 22nd and Loris Mokrovčak 30th. All three recorded the winner’s time.In the U14 category, Anže Mede took the victory, while Matija Frleta finished tenth and was the best-placed Croatian rider. Val Milat finished 18th.Among the U13 boys, Nejc Pavlin was the fastest, while Matias Žiković finished 17th and was also the highest-placed Croatian competitor.In the women’s competition, victories went to Kaja Adam in the U17 category, Manja Žalig among the U15 girls, Lara Hajnrihar in the U14 category and Nika Homec in the U13 category.Manja Žalig particularly stood out by being the first rider across the finish line in the combined race with the U14 boys.
 
The 31st Zambelli Memorial once again confirmed the potential of the race to bring together young cyclists from across the region, as well as its importance for the development and promotion of cycling in the Rijeka area.