dsm-firmenich PostNL nibbles off lead McNulty in CRO Race, but sees Kristoff win ride

For the second time this week, the organization of the CRO Race was forced to shorten a stage. Heavy rain in Croatia, following solid gusts of wind earlier this week, made some planned roads inaccessible, reducing the distance from 167 to 105 kilometers. However, the local lap in and around Karlovac remained intact.

Okay, at least the race took place. TDT-Unibet was very active in the opening phase, with, among others, Charles Paige and Jelle Johannink. The former eventually secured a place in the breakaway group of the day. Jordan Habets and Tomasz Budzinski assisted him in his mission, but other interests eventually ensured their attempt was unsuccessful.

Indeed, dsm-firmenich PostNL wanted to go for the bonification seconds on the road with number two, Tobias Lund Andresen. Still, UAE sprinter Juan Sebastian Molano just outpaced him in the service of McNulty at the first sprint on the road. The Dane in Dutch service did succeed in his second attempt, reducing his gap to the American by five seconds to seventeen seconds. 

After this scramble, Johannink tried again, but at 25 kilometers from the finish, his attempts were a thing of the past. dsm-firmenich PostNL took firm control at that stage with Warren Barguil and others, knowing there was still a bonification sprint. There, Lund Andresen once again took full advantage despite opposition from McNulty. Fourteen seconds was the difference at that point.

Then, the focus could turn to the final sprint, where the other teams began getting involved. Uno-X firmly took the lead and perfectly launched sprinter Kristoff that way, which the Norwegian knew how to handle. Oded Kogut and Giovanni Lonardo finished second and third.