CRO Race 2026 – Stage 6 [FULL STAGE]

September 27, 2026

11th CRO Race 2026 🇭🇷 (2.Pro) ME – Stage 6 – Samobor – Zagreb : 159,5 km

CRO Race is a multi-stage road race across Croatia, combining coastal roads, rolling countryside, forested hills and demanding mountain terrain over a series of stages. The route typically alternates between fast flat sections along the Adriatic and inland stages featuring repeated climbs, long descents and changing gradients. Mountain roads can include sustained ascents around 5–8%, with steeper sections providing short bursts of intense effort. Narrow roads, tight bends and technical descents demand precise positioning and confident bike handling, while exposed coastal sections can introduce crosswinds. Racing often begins with breakaway attempts before the peloton settles into a controlled rhythm, with the harder climbs gradually reducing the field. Groups may regroup on descents and flatter roads, creating repeated changes in the tactical situation. Sprinters can contest flatter stages, while climbers and all-round riders become more important on mountainous days. The overall race combines endurance, climbing, positioning and time management, with finishes ranging from bunch sprints to reduced-group battles and solo attacks.

Tobias Svarre capped off a perfect six days of racing at the CRO Race for Uno-X Mobility, winning the general classification and adding to the team’s two stage victories by safely finishing the final stage in Zagreb.

Rising Italian sprinter Davide Donati (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe Rookies) won stage 6 from the bunch sprint, benefitting from Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep) hitting the front way too early. The Frenchman finished third, with Lorenzo De Longhi (Campana- Imballagi-Morbiato-Trentino) also coming around him before the line arrived to finish second.

This marks Donati’s fourth pro victory already, despite being a rider on Red Bull’s under-23 squad, with a step up to WorldTour level in 2027 looking more than likely.

Svarre went into the final stage with a narrow four-second lead over Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious), which he gained from his stage 3 victory, and held by finishing 35th in the bunch. Pre-race favourite Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) took third on GC, eight seconds back on the Dane.

A five-rider breakaway led for most of the final 100km on Sunday, with Andrea Bessega (Lidl-Trek Future Racing), Valentin Ferron (Cofidis), Jon Agirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Dario Giuliano (Polti VisitMalta), and Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber) lasting out in front until the final 10km.

It was from there that Soudal-QuickStep tried to take control of the flat stage for Magnier, but the likes of Modern Adventure and then Red Bull were able to overhaul them before the final 2km.

Without the same star lead-out as he had on stage 5, Magnier was forced to freestyle in the final kilometre, where he ended up in the wind too soon and had to go long. Unable to get out of the saddle as he tried to use brute force for back-to-back wins, Donati was sat in his wheel and pounced, winning convincingly at the line.

Results :

Final General Classification :