Orluis Aular (Caja Rural Seguros RGA) won the 2023 CRO Race, surviving a late crash in a dramatic finish, while Campbell Stewart (Team Jayco AlUla) took the victory in the race’s final stage in Zagreb.
Heading into the city’s final circuit, a breakaway of five riders held a 47-second advantage over the peloton. However, as teams began to prepare for the race’s final sprint, this gap dwindled rapidly, and with just over 2 km to go, they were caught.
In the finale, with bonus seconds on offer, race leader Orluis Aular needed a strong finish, but the Venezuelan cyclist crashed in the final few hundred meters. Campbell Stewart won ahead of Alexander Kristoff (UNO X Pro Cycling Team) and Gal Glivar (Adria Mobil). Portuguese sprinter Iuri Leitão, a teammate of the General Classification winner at Caja Rural Seguros RGA, finished 10th in the stage.
The fallen Venezuelan recovered but crossed the finish line with some difficulty, alongside a teammate, with torn and bloodied clothing, to become the overall winner of the 2023 CRO Race. Watch the finish:
Results of Stage 6 of the 2023 CRO Race:
Final Classification of the 2023 CRO Race:
