Zambanini Sprints to Second on Wind-Shortened Stage at Cro Race

# Zambanini Claims Second Place in Altered Stage 2 of Cro Race

Stage 2 of the 10th Cro Race kicked off in Biograd with the original plan set for a 114 km trek ending on the island of Pag, famous for its stunning bridge. However, due to treacherous winds rendering the crossing unsafe, race organizers adjusted the route, cutting it to 51 km and concluding at the summit of a category 3 climb in Jovići.

Despite the shortened distance, the intensity of the competition remained high. The wind had minimal impact during the race, setting the stage for an exciting sprint to the finish. With the peloton energized and fresh, Bahrain Victorious turned to Edoardo Zambanini to lead the charge in the finale. The strategy proved successful, as Zambanini surged to claim second place.

Post-race, a visibly frustrated yet reflective Zambanini shared his thoughts: “Yes, I can be happy, really happy with what the team did today. We all committed to each other: Damiano, Max, Vlad, Jakob, Fran, Žak…everyone. We raced like a team. In the final, we went a little early, and with 1 km to go I was around 15th position. The left side was shorter, but I came up the longer way on the right to overtake. I found myself alongside Magnier, who won the stage, but it was a big line of sprinters, including Van Poppel, all going for the win. I was just short of Magnier.”

Bahrain Victorious Sports Director Aart Vierhouten commended both the team’s collective effort and Zambanini’s performance: “In shortened stages it’s all about taking the initiative, and that’s what we did. We focused on what we could control, and we knew Zambanini was our best option for an uphill sprint. The whole team committed to him, and everything worked well. Edoardo took a good wheel, but Magnier has been unbeatable in recent weeks, so second place is a strong result. It gives confidence to Edoardo and to the entire team; we showed we’re ready to race for big results.”

As the Cro Race continues, both Zambanini and his team will look to build upon this momentum for future stages.