The 3rd stage of the CRO Race was won by Nicolò Parisini. After 133 km, the Italian, competing for the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, was the fastest in a small peloton that tackled two steep climbs in the finale. He won the sprint ahead of Tobias Lund Andresen from Team DSM-Firmenich, who finished in 2nd place.
On the third day of the CRO Race, the cyclists faced a 133-kilometer route from Otočac to Opatija. The stage featured significant elevation, and in the end, a local circuit with a 400-meter climb at 13.8%. This climb occurred twice in the final 15 kilometers. After the last ascent, there were still over four kilometers to go.
A large group of favorites rounded the top and descended after the nearly four-kilometer climb. The DSM-Firmenich and INEOS Grenadiers teams took the initiative but it wasn’t enough for the victory. The Dutch squad hoped to win with Tobias Lund Andresen, but the young Danish rider ended up in second place. He was surprisingly defeated by Nicolò Parisini of Q36.5. Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) finished third.
Portuguese rider Iuri Leitão (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), who won the 2nd stage yesterday, couldn’t finish the race with the main peloton. Leitão finished the stage in 71st place, 4 minutes and 52 seconds behind the leader.
As a result, Andresen (Team DSM-Firmenich), who finished in second place, is the new overall leader.
Watch the finish of the 3rd stage of the CRO Race 2023:
Results of Stage 3 of the CRO Race 2023
Overall Classification of the CRO Race 2023:
