# 2018 Okolo Slovenska

The 2018 Okolo Slovenska (transl. Tour of Slovakia) was a five-stage men's professional road cycling race. The race is the 62nd edition of the Okolo Slovenska. It was rated as a 2.1 event as part of the 2018 UCI Europe Tour. The race started in Poprad on 12 September and finish on 16 September in Galanta.
The Frenchmen rider Julian Alaphilippe of Quick-Step Floors won the general classification, by taking first place at the summit finish in Štrbské Pleso. He won the race by sixteen seconds overall, from CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice's Jan Tratnik, Benedetti completed the podium.

## Teams

The 21 teams invited to the race were:
UCI World Tour teams
* Quick-Step Floors
* Bora–Hansgrohe
UCI Professional Continental teams
* CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice
* Cofidis
* Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij
* Bardiani–CSF
* Gazprom–RusVelo
UCI Continental teams
* Dukla Banská Bystrica
* Adria Mobil
* Uno-X Norwegian Development Team
* Riwal CeramicSpeed
* Elkov–Author
* Team Hurom
* WSA–Pushbikers
* Kőbánya Cycling Team
* Pannon Cycling Team
* Team Novak
* Apple Team
National teams
* Slovakia
* Belgium
* Germany

## Route

Stage characteristics and winners :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Type | Winner |
| Prologue | 12 September | Poprad | 1.6 km (1 mi) | | Individual time trial | Bob Jungels (LUX) |
| 1 | 13 September | Poprad to Štrbské Pleso | 164.4 km (102 mi) | | Mountain stage | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) |
| 2 | 14 September | Ružomberok to Dubnica nad Váhom | 191.7 km (119 mi) | | Hilly stage | Rüdiger Selig (GER) |
| 3 | 15 September | Dubnica nad Váhom to Nitra | 180.6 km (112 mi) | | Flat stage | Matteo Pelucchi (ITA) |
| 4 | 16 September | Nitra to Galanta | 157.2 km (98 mi) | | Flat stage | Fabio Jakobsen (NED) |
| | Total | Total | 695.5 km (432 mi) | 695.5 km (432 mi) | 695.5 km (432 mi) | 695.5 km (432 mi) | 695.5 km (432 mi) |

## Stages
### Prologue
#### 12 September 2018 Poprad, 1.6 km (1 mi), (Individual time trial)

Result of Prologue :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Bob Jungels (LUX) | Quick-Step Floors | 2' 02" |
| 2 | Yves Lampaert (BEL) | Quick-Step Floors | + 0" |
| 3 | Christophe Laporte (FRA) | Cofidis | + 0" |
| 4 | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | Quick-Step Floors | + 1" |
| 5 | Fabio Jakobsen (NED) | Quick-Step Floors | + 2" |
| 6 | Jan Tratnik (SLO) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 2" |
| 7 | Kamil Gradek (POL) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 2" |
| 8 | Niki Terpstra (NED) | Quick-Step Floors | + 2" |
| 9 | Dušan Rajović (SRB) | Adria Mobil | + 3" |
| 10 | Johannes Schinnagel (GER) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 3" |
| Source: ||||
General classification after Prologue :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Bob Jungels (LUX) | Quick-Step Floors | 2' 02" |
| 2 | Yves Lampaert (BEL) | Quick-Step Floors | + 0" |
| 3 | Christophe Laporte (FRA) | Cofidis | + 0" |
| 4 | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | Quick-Step Floors | + 1" |
| 5 | Fabio Jakobsen (NED) | Quick-Step Floors | + 2" |
| 6 | Jan Tratnik (SLO) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 2" |
| 7 | Kamil Gradek (POL) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 2" |
| 8 | Niki Terpstra (NED) | Quick-Step Floors | + 2" |
| 9 | Dušan Rajović (SRB) | Adria Mobil | + 3" |
| 10 | Johannes Schinnagel (GER) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 3" |
| Source: ||||

### Stage 1
#### 13 September 2018 Poprad to Štrbské Pleso, 164.4 km (102 mi)

Result of Stage 1 :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | Quick-Step Floors | 4h 14' 40" |
| 2 | Ben Hermans (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 0" |
| 3 | Attila Valter (HUN) | Pannon Cycling Team | + 0" |
| 4 | Jan Tratnik (SLO) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 0" |
| 5 | Pieter Weening (NED) | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 2" |
| 6 | Ildar Arslanov (RUS) | Gazprom–RusVelo | + 4" |
| 7 | Cesare Benedetti (ITA) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 4" |
| 8 | Nick van der Lijke (NED) | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 5" |
| 9 | Radoslav Rogina (CRO) | Adria Mobil | + 5" |
| 10 | Tobias Foss (NOR) | Uno-X Norwegian Development Team | + 5" |
| Source: ||||
General classification after Stage 1 :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | Quick-Step Floors | 4h 16' 33" |
| 2 | Jan Tratnik (SLO) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 11" |
| 3 | Attila Valter (HUN) | Pannon Cycling Team | + 15" |
| 4 | Ben Hermans (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 15" |
| 5 | Josef Černý (CZE) | Elkov–Author | + 19" |
| 6 | Tobias Foss (NOR) | Uno-X Norwegian Development Team | + 20" |
| 7 | Cesare Benedetti (ITA) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 20" |
| 8 | Steff Cras (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 20" |
| 9 | Pieter Weening (NED) | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 20" |
| 10 | Ildar Arslanov (RUS) | Gazprom–RusVelo | + 24" |
| Source: ||||

### Stage 2
#### 14 September 2018 Ružomberok to Dubnica nad Váhom, 191.7 km (119 mi)

Result of Stage 2 :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Rüdiger Selig (GER) | Bora–Hansgrohe | 4h 32' 32" |
| 2 | Yves Lampaert (BEL) | Quick-Step Floors | + 0" |
| 3 | Zdeněk Štybar (CZE) | Quick-Step Floors | + 0" |
| 4 | Cesare Benedetti (ITA) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 2" |
| 5 | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | Quick-Step Floors | + 2" |
| 6 | Ben Hermans (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 10" |
| 7 | Michael Bresciani (ITA) | Bardiani–CSF | + 10" |
| 8 | Nick van der Lijke (NED) | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 10" |
| 9 | Niki Terpstra (NED) | Quick-Step Floors | + 10" |
| 10 | Adrian Kurek (POL) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 10" |
| Source: ||||
General classification after Stage 2 :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | Quick-Step Floors | 8h 49' 04" |
| 2 | Jan Tratnik (SLO) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 16" |
| 3 | Cesare Benedetti (ITA) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 22" |
| 4 | Ben Hermans (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 26" |
| 5 | Josef Černý (CZE) | Elkov–Author | + 28" |
| 6 | Tobias Foss (NOR) | Uno-X Norwegian Development Team | + 31" |
| 7 | Steff Cras (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 31" |
| 8 | Pieter Weening (NED) | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 31" |
| 9 | Nick van der Lijke (NED) | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 34" |
| 10 | Ildar Arslanov (RUS) | Gazprom–RusVelo | + 35" |
| Source: ||||

### Stage 3
#### 15 September 2018 Dubnica nad Váhom to Nitra, 180.6 km (112 mi)

Result of Stage 3 :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Matteo Pelucchi (ITA) | Bora–Hansgrohe | 4h 22' 11" |
| 2 | Fabio Jakobsen (NED) | Quick-Step Floors | + 0" |
| 3 | Yves Lampaert (BEL) | Quick-Step Floors | + 0" |
| 4 | Christophe Laporte (FRA) | Cofidis | + 0" |
| 5 | Rüdiger Selig (GER) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 0" |
| 6 | Szymon Sajnok (POL) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 0" |
| 7 | Dušan Rajović (SRB) | Adria Mobil | + 0" |
| 8 | Michael Bresciani (ITA) | Bardiani–CSF | + 0" |
| 9 | Marco Maronese (ITA) | Bardiani–CSF | + 0" |
| 10 | Ahmed Galdoune (MAR) | Kőbánya Cycling Team | + 0" |
| Source: ||||
General classification after Stage 3 :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | Quick-Step Floors | 13h 11' 15" |
| 2 | Jan Tratnik (SLO) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 16" |
| 3 | Cesare Benedetti (ITA) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 22" |
| 4 | Ben Hermans (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 26" |
| 5 | Josef Černý (CZE) | Elkov–Author | + 28" |
| 6 | Tobias Foss (NOR) | Uno-X Norwegian Development Team | + 31" |
| 7 | Steff Cras (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 31" |
| 8 | Pieter Weening (NED) | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 31" |
| 9 | Nick van der Lijke (NED) | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 34" |
| 10 | Ildar Arslanov (RUS) | Gazprom–RusVelo | + 35" |
| Source: ||||

### Stage 4
#### 16 September 2018 Nitra to Galanta, 157.2 km (98 mi)

Result of Stage 4 :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Fabio Jakobsen (NED) | Quick-Step Floors | 3h 21' 53" |
| 2 | Matteo Pelucchi (ITA) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 0" |
| 3 | Christophe Laporte (FRA) | Cofidis | + 0" |
| 4 | Sebastian Lander (DEN) | Riwal CeramicSpeed | + 0" |
| 5 | Marco Maronese (ITA) | Bardiani–CSF | + 0" |
| 6 | Cesare Benedetti (ITA) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 0" |
| 7 | Michael Bresciani (ITA) | Bardiani–CSF | + 0" |
| 8 | Ahmed Galdoune (MAR) | Kőbánya Cycling Team | + 0" |
| 9 | Dušan Rajović (SRB) | Adria Mobil | + 0" |
| 10 | Mirco Maestri (ITA) | Bardiani–CSF | + 0" |
| Source: ||||

## Classification leadership

In the 2018 Tour of Slovakia, five jerseys were awarded. The general classification was calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage. The leader of the general classification received a yellow jersey sponsored by national lottery TIPOS. This classification was considered the most important of the 2018 Tour of Slovakia, and the winner of the classification was considered the winner of the race.
Points classification points for the top 10 positions by type :
| Type | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Prologue | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Stage finishes | 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Intermediate sprint | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The second classification was the points classification. Riders were awarded points for finishing in the top ten in a stage. Points were also won in intermediate sprints. The leader of the points classification was awarded a white jersey with blue polka-dots sponsored by Škoda.
Points for the mountains classification :
| Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Points for Category 1 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Points for Category 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
There was also a mountains classification for which points were awarded for reaching the top of a climb before other riders. The climbs were categorized, in order of increasing difficulty, as second and first-category. The leadership of the mountains classification was marked by a white jersey with red polka-dots sponsored by private equity company janom.
The fourth jersey represented the under-23 classification, marked by a white jersey sponsored by Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport. Only riders born after 1 January 1996 were eligible; the under-23 best placed rider in the general classification was the leader of the under 23 classification. Additionally there was also a classification for Slovakian riders, marked by a white, blue and red jersey. Only Slovakian riders were eligible and they were awarded according to their placement in the general classification of the race.
There was also a classification for Combativity given after each stage to the rider considered, by the organisers, the most combative rider. The winner wore a red bib for the next stage. The final classification was the team classification, in which the times of the best three cyclists in a team on each stage were added together; the leading team at the end of the race was the team with the lowest cumulative time.
Classification leadership by stage :
| Stage | Winner | General classification | Points classification | Mountains classification | Under-23 rider classification | Best Slovakian rider classification | Combativity classification | Team classification |
| P | Bob Jungels | Bob Jungels | Yves Lampaert | Christophe Laporte | Fabio Jakobsen | Erik Baška | not awarded | Quick-Step Floors |
| 1 | Julian Alaphilippe | Julian Alaphilippe | Martin Haring | Giulio Ciccone | Attila Valter | Matúš Štoček | Martin Haring | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice |
| 2 | Rüdiger Selig | Julian Alaphilippe | Julian Alaphilippe | Giulio Ciccone | Tobias Foss | Matúš Štoček | Umberto Orsini | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice |
| 3 | Matteo Pelucchi | Julian Alaphilippe | Martin Haring | Giulio Ciccone | Tobias Foss | Matúš Štoček | Patrik Tybor | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice |
| 4 | Fabio Jakobsen | Julian Alaphilippe | Martin Haring | Giulio Ciccone | Tobias Foss | Matúš Štoček | Andreas Stokbro | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice |
| Final | Final | Julian Alaphilippe | Martin Haring | Giulio Ciccone | Tobias Foss | Matúš Štoček | not awarded | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice |
* In stage three, Jan Tratnik, who was second in the points classification, wore the white with blue polka-dots jersey, because first placed Julian Alaphilippe wore the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification.

## Final standings

Legend :
| Denotes the winner of the general classification | Denotes the leader of the points classification |
| Denotes the leader of the mountains classification | Denotes the winner of the young rider classification |

### General classification

Final general classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | Quick-Step Floors | 16h 33' 08" |
| 2 | Jan Tratnik (SLO) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 16" |
| 3 | Cesare Benedetti (ITA) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 22" |
| 4 | Ben Hermans (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 26" |
| 5 | Josef Černý (CZE) | Elkov–Author | + 28" |
| 6 | Tobias Foss (NOR) | Uno-X Norwegian Development Team | + 31" |
| 7 | Steff Cras (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 31" |
| 8 | Pieter Weening (NED) | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 31" |
| 9 | Nick van der Lijke (NED) | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 34" |
| 10 | Łukasz Owsian (POL) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 36" |
| Source: ||||

### Points classification

Final points classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Martin Haring (SVK) | Dukla Banská Bystrica | 56 |
| 2 | Matteo Pelucchi (ITA) | Bora–Hansgrohe | 35 |
| 3 | Fabio Jakobsen (NED) | Quick-Step Floors | 35 |
| 4 | Yves Lampaert (BEL) | Quick-Step Floors | 32 |
| 5 | Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) | Quick-Step Floors | 30 |
| 6 | Rüdiger Selig (GER) | Bora–Hansgrohe | 28 |
| 7 | Jan Tratnik (SLO) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | 25 |
| 8 | Cesare Benedetti (ITA) | Bora–Hansgrohe | 23 |
| 9 | Christophe Laporte (FRA) | Cofidis | 22 |
| 10 | Zdeněk Štybar (CZE) | Quick-Step Floors | 17 |

### Mountains classification

Final mountains classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Giulio Ciccone (ITA) | Bardiani–CSF | 87 |
| 2 | Martin Haring (SVK) | Dukla Banská Bystrica | 41 |
| 3 | Patrik Tybor (SVK) | Dukla Banská Bystrica | 30 |
| 4 | Vitaliy Buts (UKR) | Team Hurom | 22 |
| 5 | Jan Bárta (CZE) | Elkov–Author | 21 |
| 6 | Aleksandr Vlasov (RUS) | Gazprom–RusVelo | 17 |
| 7 | Ben Hermans (BEL) | Belgium (national) | 16 |
| 8 | Niki Terpstra (NED) | Quick-Step Floors | 15 |
| 9 | Umberto Orsini (ITA) | Bardiani–CSF | 15 |
| 10 | Emanuel Piaskowy (POL) | Team Hurom | 12 |

### Under-23 rider classification

Final Under-23 classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Tobias Foss (NOR) | Uno-X Norwegian Development Team | 16h 33' 39" |
| 2 | Steff Cras (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 0" |
| 3 | Attila Valter (HUN) | Pannon Cycling Team | + 15" |
| 4 | Andreas Leknessund (NOR) | Uno-X Norwegian Development Team | + 29" |
| 5 | Viktor Verschaeve (BEL) | Belgium (national) | + 39" |
| 6 | Kevin Inkelaar (NED) | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 42" |
| 7 | Márton Dina (HUN) | Pannon Cycling Team | + 48" |
| 8 | Aleksandr Vlasov (RUS) | Gazprom–RusVelo | + 52" |
| 9 | Jonas Rutsch (GER) | Germany (national) | + 1' 50" |
| 10 | Johannes Schinnagel (GER) | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 2' 18" |

### Team classification

Final team classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Team | Time |
| 1 | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | 49h 41' 06" |
| 2 | Belgium (national) | + 19" |
| 3 | Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij | + 30" |
| 4 | Quick-Step Floors | + 1' 34" |
| 5 | Uno-X Norwegian Development Team | + 1' 34" |
| 6 | Elkov–Author | + 1' 54" |
| 7 | Adria Mobil | + 2' 03" |
| 8 | Gazprom–RusVelo | + 2' 59" |
| 9 | Bora–Hansgrohe | + 3' 53" |
| 10 | Bardiani–CSF | + 5' 18" |