CRO Race 2024 Stage 3

October 3, 2024 Heavy rain and wind plagued the riders right from the start, throughout the entire stage. Due to the poor weather conditions, the race was shortened to around 90KM. The pace was on from the start and no one was able to get clear to establish a break. The race split into pieces with 60KM to go and only around 30 riders were left at the front with another group about 20 seconds behind. Kim Heiduk of Ineos went on the attack and Brandon McNulty of UAE bridged to make two at the front with 50KM to go. Heiduk was dropped as McNulty pushed on with a 1 minute gap and 40KM to go. McNulty flatted with 26KM to go. He got a quick bike change but lost half of his lead. When Heiduk was caught by the chase, Ineos got organized and piled on the pressure but it was hard to make an impact due to the twisting corners and dangerously slippery roads. There were a number of crashes in the bunch which slowed the chase. McNulty had 40 seconds as hit the final steep 1KM climb with 12KM to go. Israel-Premier Tech rode hard on the climb but McNulty maintained 25 seconds over the top. The gap was over 30 seconds as McNulty crossed the finish line to start the full local circuit with 7.3KM to go. Only 9 riders were left in the first group with others spread all over in groups of 4 and 5. McNulty was able to put his hands up after just 2 hours of racing to win a hard and attritional stage. His teammate Igor Arrieta came in next with Tobias Lund Andresen of DSM-Firmenich in third. The GC time was taken at 11.5KM to go when the riders entered the local circuit. At that point, McNulty had 34 seconds on the main group which was more than enough to move him into the GC lead. Giovanni Lonardi of Polti Kometa sits second, 25 seconds back with Cyrus Monk of Q36.5 in third at 31 seconds.