Orluis Aular (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) won stage 5 of the CRO Tour in Labin to move into the overall lead with a day remaining. The Venezuelan champion proved the quickest in a technical bunch finale, beating Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X) and Ethan Hayter (Ineos) to the line.
Overnight leader Magnus Sheffield (Ineos) crashed when he clipped a curb in the last 500m, though he was able to remount and complete the stage, and he will remain in contention for overall honours on Sunday’s final stage in Zagreb.
Miholjevic was the last man standing when he took the bell with 18km to go, but Uno-X quickly shut down his 25-second buffer. From there, a bunch finish was inevitable, though there was considerable reluctance among the sprinters’ teams to take up the pace-making too soon.
Connor Swift through the twisting final kilometre and when he swung off with a shade over 300m to go, Kristoff found himself on the front a touch sooner than he had anticipated. He also had Aular parked on his wheel, and the Venezuelan produced a crisp sprint to claim the day’s spoils.
Kristoff kicked again in the closing metres but he couldn’t quite overhaul Aular to take the win, while the Ineos duo of Hayter and Elia Viviani (Ineos) also closed rapidly but had to settle for third and fourth, respectively.
In the overall standings, Aulnar carries a lead of 9 seconds into the final stage over the Ineos duo of Hayter and Sheffield, with Kristoff fourth at 12 seconds and Nicolò Parisini (Q36.5) fifth at 14 seconds.
Results
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Two decisive attacks 'not the easiest but definitely the most beautiful' way for Florian Vermeersch to win first rainbow jersey at UCI Gravel Worlds
Belgian says victory confirms mental and physical triumph from leg fracture a year ago -
'Why not?' - Tom Pidcock defends decision to race Il Lombardia and Gravel Worlds in the same weekend
'It's not ideal, but who cares?' British rider finishes sixth in back-to-back events -
'I regret it now' – Yara Kastelijn apologises to Shirin van Anrooij after chasing down teammate at Gravel World Championships
Kastelijn played a part in pulling chasing group to lone leader Van Anrooij in Saturday's elite women's race -
Paris-Tours: Matteo Trentin fastest in breakaway sprint to claim hat-trick victory
Christophe Laporte second, Albert Withen Philipsen third, as unorganised breakaway riders are caught on the line in Tours
