Just like last year, Magnier managed to ‘survive’ the demanding climb up Plešivica, the top of which was just 16 kilometres before the finish line. After that, with excellent work from his teammates in the final kilometres, he moved into the ideal position for a new stage win
French cyclist Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) has won the fifth stage of this year’s CRO Race from Karlovac to Sveta Nedelja over a distance of 164.5 kilometres. Magnier repeated his victory from last year, when he also won in Sveta Nedelja, while Danish rider Tobias Svarre (Uno-X Mobility) has held onto his lead in the general classification a day out from the final stage.
Just like last year, Magnier managed to ‘survive’ the demanding climb up Plešivica, the top of which was just 16 kilometres before the finish line. After that, with excellent work from his teammates in the final kilometres, he moved into the ideal position for a new stage win. This was his fifth career victory in Croatia, after winning a whopping four stages in last year’s CRO Race.
Second place went to Portugal’s Rui Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), with German rider Tim Torn Teutenberg (Lidl-Trek) rounding out the podium.
“I knew the course from last year, but I knew it would be harder to win because of the situation in the GC, with many riders still in the game for the win. The team did a great job during the whole stage, especially in the finish, where I had four riders who set up my lead-out perfectly. In the previous stages, I couldn’t find a gap to launch my sprint, and that’s why I decided to start earlier today. Tomorrow’s stage suits me as well, and I hope for another win,” said Magnier.
The fifth stage also offered a new fight in the contest for the general classification. Although the tempo on most of the climb up Plešivica was dictated by UAE Team Emirates-XRG, preparing the ground for an attack by their captain Tim Wellens, their attack never came.
About 300 metres before the top, second-placed GC rider Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) attacked. However, race-leading Dane Tobias Svarre (Uno-X Mobility) was ready for this move by his strongest GC contender, and both he and fourth stage winner Columbian Daniel Martinez (Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe) managed to follow.
Tiberi took the KOM at Plešivica, confirming his ownership of the green climber’s jersey. After his attack failed to bear fruit, he allowed himself to be caught up by a group of around 30 riders, which remained together until the finish, where Magnier proved fastest.
The battle for the general classification will thus be decided in the final stage. A day out from the end of the race, 22-year-old Tobias Svarre has a four-second advantage over second-placed Antonio Tiberi, with third-placed Tim Wellens eight seconds down.
Aside from leading in the GC, Svarre also leads the white jersey contest for best young rider. In the points classification, the blue jersey remains with Danish rider Carl-Frederik Bevort (Uno-X Mobility), while the green jersey for best climber goes to Tiberi.
At the 15th kilometre of the stage, a group of six riders formed a breakaway: Italians Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber), Edoardo Zamperini (Cofidis), ad Filippo D’Aiuto (MBH Bank-CSB Telecom Fort), Spaniards Jose Felix Parra (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel-Euskadi), and American Samuel Boardman (Modern Adventure).
This group of six racked up a maximum gap of 2:36, scooping up the points at the first two intermediate sprints. In Duga Resa, Parra crossed the line first ahead of Boardman and D’Aiuto, while the Italians dominated in Karlovac—Tarozzi crossed first followed by D’Aiuto and Zamperini.
The gap of the lead group then began to diminish steadily. At the first categorised climb at Lović Prekriški it was down to just under a minute, with D’Aiuto taking maximum points ahead of Zamperini and Parra.
Boardman was the first of the breakaway riders to be dropped, with the remaining five hanging on until the third intermediate sprint in Jastrebarsko, where Parra won out ahead of D’Aiuto and Tarozzi. However, they were all caught up as well by the final section and the start of the climb up Plešivica, after which a battle ensued in the main group that lasted all the way to Sveta Nedelja.
Also present at the start of the fifth stage in Karlovac was this year’s race ambassador, famous Croatian rower and triple Olympic winner Martin Sinković, who is himself an active cyclist.
“Personally, I really love this race. I ride a bike, I watch the Tour de France, the Giro, and the Vuelta, but CRO Race is my favourite. It’s a great promotion for Croatia and my heart is full when I see something like this taking place in Croatia. I’m glad this race sends the most beautiful shots of Croatia across the world,” said Sinković.
He also had a message for Croatia’s young cyclists, as well as for all its citizens:
“Train hard and enjoy every moment in sport. I know it’s hard to enjoy yourself when your training is at its hardest, but if you give it your all it will get better. And I’d like to invite all citizens to come out to this kind of race, because it’s truly fun, and that will contribute to a better image of Croatia.”
In addition to promoting the sport of cycling, CRO Race continues to promote Croatia as a beautiful tourist destination, as shots of Croatia’s cultural and natural heritage are broadcast into the homes of viewers across the world during the race.
Since its first edition, CRO Race has been supported by the highest state institutions in Croatia, and this year as well, the race enjoys support from the Croatian government, the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, the Croatian Tourist Board, the city of Zagreb, and numerous other cities and counties hosting stage starts or finishes or through which the race will be passing.
At the start of the fifth stage, the cyclists were seen off by Karlovac County head Martina Furdek-Hajdin, vice-mayor of Karlovac Ivana Fočić, and director of Karlovac County Tourist Board Ivana Rumenović Novinić. At the finish line in Sveta Nedelja, in addition to numerous spectators, the cyclists were greeted by mayor of Sveta Nedelja Dario Zurovec and Sveta Nedelja Tourist Board director Renata Vlahović.
This year’s 22.th edition of CRO Race, which began on 22 September in Split, will be ending tomorrow on 27 September with the sixth and final stage from Samobor to Zagreb over a distance of 159.4 kilometres.
The final stage promises a fierce battle for the general classification, and we will learn the final standings after the cyclists cross the line at Jarun lake in Zagreb.
