Bahrain Victorious is still on the podium at the CRO Race. Stage 3 awards our guys’ teamwork with Matej Mohorič’s third place atop Primošten, and the red leader jersey, defended by Milan with determination.
After two days for the sprinters, the GC contenders were expected to start battling for the leadership on the 157km hilly course from Sinj to Primošten, featuring a steep final km with the last 500m at 14% average and partly gravel from 700m to 400m to the finish line (10-12%).
As in the previous days, TBV worked hard to keep the race under control. Caruso supported our GC men Mohorič and Buitrago and protected the overall leader Milan towards the finale. Then it came to the showdown of the brutal ascent to Primošten. Jonathan Milan showed how much he wanted to keep the race leadership, entering the gravel part in front and keeping first positions as long as possible on the dirt road. When the gradient became steeper, Buitrago and Mohorič joined the front of the race. Milan held on and even tried to attack again, but then he had to give up, with 50m to go, under the strong acceleration of Vingegaard (Jumbo Visma) and Onley (DSM), who crossed the finish line in 1st and 2nd place. Only Mohorič was strong enough to keep the pace with the duo and finished in 3rd at 2″.
Milan took an impressive 5th place, retaining the leader jersey with one second on the Tour de France winner Vingegaard. He also kept the lead in the young and points classifications: “It was pretty hard in the final, as it was also windy like on all the stage. The ascent was super steep. For me, it is my first time on the gravel. It was something special.
Regarding the stage, we controlled the race from the beginning, like yesterday and the other day. We all stayed in an excellent position. And then in the final, Damiano and the guys just did a fantastic job. The plan was to attack, control, and bring Santiago and Matej in the last 100m in the front, so they don’t lose so much time in the GC. I tried my best and finished 5th. It’s very nice that also tomorrow we have the GC jersey. I am happy.”
Besides Mohorič in third and Milan in 5th, Bahrain Victorious put the third rider in the top ten: Buitrago 7th, at 9″. The Slovenian rider, who climbed up to 4th place overall, comments the team performance: “We hoped Jonathan could retain his GC leader jersey and maybe even win the stage. I also tried my best to stay in the fight for GC. We were a bit short at the end, and Vingegaard won the stage, proving he was the best today. We will try to win tomorrow’s stage again with Jonathan and see if he can extend his lead in the GC before Saturday’s stage”.
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