Funny 3rd stage on the CRO Race ! The disastrous weather conditions (rain, cold and wind) pushed the organizers to make three important decisions, namely the shortening of the stage from 154 to 89.5 kilometers, the freezing of times 11.5 kilometers from the goal and the cancellation of bonuses awarded upon arrival. This horrible weather, however, did not prevent the runners from putting on a show, and in Opatija, it was Brandon McNulty who raised his arms after a solo ride of more than 40 kilometers!
Video – The summary of Brandon McNulty’s victory on the 3rd stage
UAE Team Emirates continues, Warren Barguil in the top 10
Victorious for the eighth time this season, the American of the team UAE Team Emirates won in front of one of his teammates, the Spaniard Igor Arrietaand the Dane Tobias Lund Andresen (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL). Filippo Ganna (Italy / INEOS Grenadiers) crossed the line in fourth position and Warren Barguil (France / Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) finished eighth.
This is the second success on this CRO Race 2024 for training UAE Team Emiratesthat of Brandon McNulty intervening 24 hours after that won by the Colombian Juan Sebastian Molano. The winner of the day also takes the red jersey as leader of the general classification to the detriment of the Italian. Giovanni Lonardi (Team Polti Kometa), now second at 30 seconds. Tobias Lund Andresen, Igor Arrieta and the Australian Cyrus Monk (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) are set at 36″.
Summary of the last 30 kilometers
As the riders approach the last third of this stage contested under downpours of water, one man is alone in the lead: Brandon McNulty. Alone for around ten kilometers after letting go of the German Kim Heiduk (INEOS Grenadiers), with whom he had left the peloton 50 kilometers from the goal, the American of the formation UAE Team Emirates is 1 minute ahead of the pack. Victim of a mechanical problem on a descent and forced to change bikes, the United States time trial champions then saw the peloton, led at high speed by Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers) and his teammates, get closer to 35 seconds, but he manages to restart the machine and then shows good resistance.
If the finish is judged after 89.5 kilometers of racing, the organizers of the CRO Race decided to stop the times 11 miles from the finish due to bad weather, and at this crossing point, Brandon McNulty still ahead of the peloton by around thirty seconds, a margin which will allow him to take on the red jersey of leader of the general classification at the end of this third day of racing. Nine runners set out in pursuit of the race leader, including Pablo Castrillo (Equipo Kern Pharma), Warren Barguil (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) et Filippo Gannamore McNulty was too strong this Thursday and he won his eighth victory of the season.
CRO Race – Ranking of the 3rd stage
CRO Race – Provisional general classification after the 3rd stage
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