Results CRO Race 2026 Stage 4 - Daniel Martinez takes victory from small breakaway ahead of surging peloton in exciting finale
CyclingFriday, 25 September 2026 at 16:00
Daniel Martinez picked up the win on stage 4 of the CRO Race, winning a small breakaway sprint as the attackers kept the peloton at bay to contest the win in Rijeka.
Stage 4 took the race from Pula to Rijeka in an exciting stage featuring some 2350 metres of climbing all centered around the day's main climb of Ucka - 10.3 kilometres at 7.7 percent average gradient - topping off at over 50 kilometres to go.
It was a day for the attackers fronted by Lennard Kamna, who found himself the last survivor of early attacks both before and after the main climb as the likes of Rui Oliveira, Julius Johansen, Filippo D'Ariuto, and others lit up the stage.
Red jersey wearer Tobias Svarre was under pressure in a reducing peloton as Tim Wellens, Antonio Tibreri put the pressure on in the general classification fight with 30 kilometres to go.
Kamna would have some company out front as a second group of chasers managed to bridge over. Domen Novak, Danny Martinez, Louis Vervaeke and Amie de Gendt made it across as the race hit 16 kilometres to go and a largely downhill descent to the finish, even then putting the German under pressure and dropping him from the front of the race.
Peloton chases behind as Martinez puts the pressure on
The peloton crested that final uphill section over 30 seconds behind and with just 35 riders remaining. As the race flew downhill towards a flat finish, Uno-X Mobility hoped it would spell the end of general classification attacks, with the break looking primed to hold on.
On a short uphill kick, Martinez put the hurt on the break as Novak dropped from the group with 6 kilometres to go. Cofidis rider Sam Maisonobe led the chase in the bunch as they found themselves just 20 seconds down inside the final four kilometres.
Maisonobe made it across to the front with the peloton hot on his heels at the final kilometre mark and quickly launched his sprint. However, Red Bull rider Martinez had the big kick in the finale as the late breakaway had their day Louis Vervaeke came second and Domen Novak completed the podium in third.
Svarre remains in the leader's jersey heading into Saturday's stage 5.
Results CRO Race 2026 Stage 4
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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