Dutchman Olav Kooij, a member of the Jumbo-Visma team, won the CRO Race 4th stage from Zadar to Crikvenica. In 2nd was Australian cyclist Kaden Groves, and 3rd Croatian rider Josip Rumac (Androni Giocattoli), reports HRT.
After a massive fall that happened about a kilometer before the finish line, Rumac found himself in a great position, leading the race with very few cyclists behind him. However, the Croatian cyclist did not manage to last until the end and was overtaken by Kooij and Groves in the final meters.
This is the second stage victory for Kooij, who confirmed himself as the best sprinter at this year’s CRO Race in Crikvenica. He also celebrated on Wednesday in Otočac after the second stage.
Skaarseth took the lead in the overall standings thanks to a three-second bonus he won during his first passing goal in Crikvenica. With that, he equaled the leading Belgian Milan Menten (Bingoal) in terms of time, but due to better placements in the stages, he took over the red shirt. Rumac jumped to fourth place in the overall standings with just eight seconds behind Skaartseth.
Very soon after the start of the stage, a group of seven cyclists was formed with Poles Marceli Boguslawski (HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski) and Szymon Rekita (Voster ATS Team), German Tom Lindner (P&S Metalltechnik), Slovenian Žiga Horvat (Adria Mobil), Italian Nicolo Buratti ( Friuli), Austrian Felix Ritzinger (WSA KTM Graz) and Australian Felix James Meo (Vorarlberg). The advantage of the leading six grew to almost six minutes, and on the first ascent of the day on Ćaćići, Rekita stood out and won the mountain goal ahead of Lindner and Ritzinger.
Rekita’s solo ride ended 67 kilometers before the finish line when he was reached by the rest of the group. As the advantage over the peloton was rapidly decreasing, about 50 kilometers before the finish it, new attacks followed. The first was Lindner, who therefore won the first passing goal in Senj, then he was joined by Boguslawski, who was the fastest at the second passing goal in Novi Vinodolski.
Skaarseth won important bonus seconds ahead of compatriot and teammate Torstein Train, while Dutchman Mick van Dijke (Jumbo-Visma) was third.
During the final lap around Crikvenica, cyclists have the second ascent of the day to Dramalj, which Traen passed first, thus increasing the advantage in the fight for the green jersey they will wear in the fifth stage, which is scheduled for Saturday from Rabac to Opatija (137.5 kilometers).
CRO Race remaining stages:
October 2, 5th stage: Rabac / Labin – Opatija (137.5 km)
October 3, 6th stage: Samobor – Zagreb (156.5 km)
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