# 2021 CRO Race

The 2021 CRO Race was a road cycling stage race that took place in Croatia between 28 September and 3 October 2021. It was the sixth edition of the Tour of Croatia since its revival in 2015 and the second under the CRO Race name. The race was rated as a category 2.1 event on the 2021 UCI Europe Tour calendar.

## Teams

Four of the 19 UCI WorldTeams, seven UCI ProTeams, and nine UCI Continental teams made up the 20 teams that participated in the race. All but four teams entered a full squad of seven riders; Caja Rural–Seguros RGA, Euskaltel–Euskadi, and Team Felbermayr–Simplon Wels each entered six riders, while Meridiana–Kamen entered five riders. In total, 134 riders started the race, of which 110 finished.
UCI WorldTeams
* Israel Start-Up Nation
* Team Bahrain Victorious
* Team BikeExchange
* Team Jumbo–Visma
UCI ProTeams
* Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec
* Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB
* Caja Rural–Seguros RGA
* Equipo Kern Pharma
* Euskaltel–Euskadi
* Team Novo Nordisk
* Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
UCI Continental Teams
* Adria Mobil
* Cycling Team Friuli ASD
* HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski
* Meridiana–Kamen
* P&S Metalltechnik
* Team Felbermayr–Simplon Wels
* Team Vorarlberg
* Voster ATS Team
* WSA KTM Graz

## Route

Stage characteristics and winners :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Type | Winner |
| 1 | 28 September | Osijek to Varaždin | 237 km (147 mi) | | Flat stage | Phil Bauhaus (GER) |
| 2 | 29 September | Slunj to Otočac | 187 km (116 mi) | | Hilly stage | Olav Kooij (NED) |
| 3 | 30 September | Primošten to Makarska | 167 km (104 mi) | | Hilly stage | Milan Menten (BEL) |
| 4 | 1 October | Zadar to Crikvenica | 197 km (122 mi) | | Hilly stage | Olav Kooij (NED) |
| 5 | 2 October | Rabac/Labin to Opatija | 137.5 km (85.4 mi) | | Mountain stage | Stephen Williams (GBR) |
| 6 | 3 October | Samobor to Zagreb | 157.5 km (97.9 mi) | | Flat stage | Tim van Dijke (NED) |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,083 km (673 mi) | 1,083 km (673 mi) | 1,083 km (673 mi) | 1,083 km (673 mi) |

## Stages
### Stage 1
#### 28 September 2021 – Osijek to Varaždin, 237 km (147 mi)

Stage 1 Result (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Phil Bauhaus (GER) | Team Bahrain Victorious | 5h 52' 06" |
| 2 | Olav Kooij (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 0" |
| 3 | Kristoffer Halvorsen (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 0" |
| 4 | Antonio Angulo (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 0" |
| 5 | Mick van Dijke (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 0" |
| 6 | Itamar Einhorn (ISR) | Israel Start-Up Nation | + 0" |
| 7 | Michel Aschenbrenner (GER) | P&S Metalltechnik | + 0" |
| 8 | Gotzon Martín (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 0" |
| 9 | Milan Menten (BEL) | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | + 0" |
| 10 | David Per (SLO) | Adria Mobil | + 0" |
General classification after Stage 1 (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Phil Bauhaus (GER) | Team Bahrain Victorious | 5h 51' 56" |
| 2 | Olav Kooij (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 4" |
| 3 | Kristoffer Halvorsen (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 5" |
| 4 | Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 7" |
| 5 | Fran Miholjević (CRO) | Cycling Team Friuli ASD | + 7" |
| 6 | Marceli Bogusławski (POL) | HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski | + 7" |
| 7 | Paweł Franczak (POL) | Voster ATS Team | + 7" |
| 8 | Anders Skaarseth (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 8" |
| 9 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | + 9" |
| 10 | Antonio Angulo (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 10" |

### Stage 2
#### 29 September 2021 – Slunj to Otočac, 187 km (116 mi)

Stage 2 Result (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Olav Kooij (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | 4h 22' 07" |
| 2 | Itamar Einhorn (ISR) | Israel Start-Up Nation | + 0" |
| 3 | Kaden Groves (AUS) | Team BikeExchange | + 0" |
| 4 | Jon Aberasturi (ESP) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | + 0" |
| 5 | Daniel Auer (AUT) | WSA KTM Graz | + 0" |
| 6 | Leonardo Marchiori (ITA) | Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec | + 0" |
| 7 | Milan Menten (BEL) | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | + 0" |
| 8 | Antonio Angulo (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 0" |
| 9 | Gotzon Martín (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 0" |
| 10 | Kristoffer Halvorsen (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 0" |
General classification after Stage 2 (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Olav Kooij (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | 10h 13' 57" |
| 2 | Phil Bauhaus (GER) | Team Bahrain Victorious | + 6" |
| 3 | Itamar Einhorn (ISR) | Israel Start-Up Nation | + 10" |
| 4 | Kristoffer Halvorsen (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 11" |
| 5 | Mateusz Grabis (POL) | Voster ATS Team | + 11" |
| 6 | Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 13" |
| 7 | Jaime Castrillo (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 13" |
| 8 | Fran Miholjević (CRO) | Cycling Team Friuli ASD | + 13" |
| 9 | Marceli Bogusławski (POL) | HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski | + 13" |
| 10 | Anders Skaarseth (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 14" |

### Stage 3
#### 30 September 2021 – Primošten to Makarska, 167 km (104 mi)

Stage 3 Result (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Milan Menten (BEL) | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | 3h 58' 33" |
| 2 | Mick van Dijke (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 0" |
| 3 | Anders Skaarseth (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 0" |
| 4 | Josip Rumac (CRO) | Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec | + 0" |
| 5 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | + 0" |
| 6 | Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 0" |
| 7 | Andi Bajc (SLO) | Team Felbermayr–Simplon Wels | + 0" |
| 8 | Colin Stüssi (SUI) | Team Vorarlberg | + 0" |
| 9 | Antonio Angulo (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 0" |
| 10 | Roland Thalmann (SUI) | Team Vorarlberg | + 0" |
General classification after Stage 3 (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Milan Menten (BEL) | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | 14h 12' 34" |
| 2 | Anders Skaarseth (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 3" |
| 3 | Mick van Dijke (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 6" |
| 4 | Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 9" |
| 5 | Urko Berrade (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 10" |
| 6 | Dominik Röber (GER) | P&S Metalltechnik | + 10" |
| 7 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | + 11" |
| 8 | Antonio Angulo (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 12" |
| 9 | Gotzon Martín (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 12" |
| 10 | Jakub Kaczmarek (POL) | HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski | + 12" |

### Stage 4
#### 1 October 2021 – Zadar to Crikvenica, 197 km (122 mi)

Stage 4 Result (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Olav Kooij (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | 4h 49' 16" |
| 2 | Kaden Groves (AUS) | Team BikeExchange | + 0" |
| 3 | Josip Rumac (CRO) | Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec | + 0" |
| 4 | Maciej Paterski (POL) | Voster ATS Team | + 0" |
| 5 | Itamar Einhorn (ISR) | Israel Start-Up Nation | + 0" |
| 6 | Antonio Angulo (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 0" |
| 7 | Piotr Brożyna (POL) | HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski | + 0" |
| 8 | Riccardo Carretta (ITA) | Cycling Team Friuli ASD | + 0" |
| 9 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | + 0" |
| 10 | Gotzon Martín (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 0" |
General classification after Stage 4 (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Anders Skaarseth (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 19h 01' 50" |
| 2 | Milan Menten (BEL) | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | + 0" |
| 3 | Mick van Dijke (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 6" |
| 4 | Josip Rumac (CRO) | Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec | + 8" |
| 5 | Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 9" |
| 6 | Urko Berrade (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 10" |
| 7 | Torstein Traeen (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 10" |
| 8 | Dominik Röber (GER) | P&S Metalltechnik | + 10" |
| 9 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | + 11" |
| 10 | Antonio Angulo (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 12" |

### Stage 5
#### 2 October 2021 – Rabac/Labin to Opatija, 137.5 km (85.4 mi)

Stage 5 Result (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | 3h 20' 35" |
| 2 | Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 10" |
| 3 | Mick van Dijke (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 10" |
| 4 | Gotzon Martín (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 10" |
| 5 | Alexis Guérin (FRA) | Team Vorarlberg | + 10" |
| 6 | Joel Nicolau (ESP) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | + 10" |
| 7 | Urko Berrade (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 10" |
| 8 | Roland Thalmann (SUI) | Team Vorarlberg | + 10" |
| 9 | José Félix Parra (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 10" |
| 10 | Santiago Buitrago (COL) | Team Bahrain Victorious | + 10" |
General classification after Stage 5 (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | 22h 22' 20" |
| 2 | Mick van Dijke (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 17" |
| 3 | Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 18" |
| 4 | Simon Yates (GBR) | Team BikeExchange | + 23" |
| 5 | Urko Berrade (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 24" |
| 6 | Hermann Pernsteiner (AUT) | Team Bahrain Victorious | + 24" |
| 7 | Gotzon Martín (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 27" |
| 8 | Roland Thalmann (SUI) | Team Vorarlberg | + 27" |
| 9 | Joel Nicolau (ESP) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | + 27" |
| 10 | José Félix Parra (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 27" |

### Stage 6
#### 3 October 2021 – Samobor to Zagreb, 157.5 km (97.9 mi)

Stage 6 Result (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Tim van Dijke (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | 3h 23' 03" |
| 2 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | + 0" |
| 3 | Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 0" |
| 4 | Kaden Groves (AUS) | Team BikeExchange | + 5" |
| 5 | Jon Aberasturi (ESP) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | + 5" |
| 6 | Milan Menten (BEL) | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | + 5" |
| 7 | Olav Kooij (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 5" |
| 8 | Andrea Peron (ITA) | Team Novo Nordisk | + 5" |
| 9 | Gotzon Martín (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 5" |
| 10 | Jakub Kaczmarek (POL) | HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski | + 5" |
General classification after Stage 6 (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | 25h 45' 17" |
| 2 | Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 17" |
| 3 | Mick van Dijke (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 28" |
| 4 | Simon Yates (GBR) | Team BikeExchange | + 34" |
| 5 | Urko Berrade (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 35" |
| 6 | Gotzon Martín (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 36" |
| 7 | Roland Thalmann (SUI) | Team Vorarlberg | + 38" |
| 8 | Joel Nicolau (ESP) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | + 38" |
| 9 | José Félix Parra (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 38" |
| 10 | Alexis Guérin (FRA) | Team Vorarlberg | + 38" |

## Classification leadership table

In the 2021 CRO Race, four different jerseys were awarded. The general classification was calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, and applying time bonuses for the first three riders at intermediate sprints (three seconds to first, two seconds to second, and one second to third) and at the finish of mass-start stages; these were awarded to the first three finishers on all stages: the stage winner won a ten-second bonus, with six and four seconds for the second and third riders, respectively. The leader of the classification received a red jersey; it was considered the most important of the 2021 CRO Race, and the winner of the classification was considered the winner of the race.
Points for the mountains classification :
| Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Points for Hors-category | 20 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Points for Category 1 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Points for Category 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Points for Category 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Additionally, there was a points classification, for which the leader was awarded a blue jersey. In the points classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 15 of each stage. For winning a stage, a rider earned 25 points, with 20 for second, 16 for third, 14 for fourth, 12 for fifth, 10 for sixth, and a point fewer per place down to 1 point for 15th place. Points towards the classification could also be won on a 5–3–1 scale for the first three riders, respectively, at intermediate sprint points during each stage; these intermediate sprints also offered bonus seconds towards the general classification as noted above.
There was also a mountains classification, the leadership of which was marked by a green jersey. In the mountains classification, points towards the classification were won by reaching the summit of a climb before other cyclists. Each climb was marked as either hors, first, second, or third-category, with more points available for the higher-categorized climbs.
The fourth and final jersey represented the young rider classification, and its leadership was marked by a white jersey. This was decided in the same way as the general classification, but only riders born after 1 January 1999 (i.e., under 23 years of age at the beginning of the year) were eligible to be ranked in the classification. There was also a team classification, in which the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added together; the leading team at the end of the race was the team with the lowest total time.
Classification leadership by stage :
| Stage | Winner | General classification | Points classification | Mountains classification | Young rider classification | Team classification |
| 1 | Phil Bauhaus | Phil Bauhaus | Phil Bauhaus | Marceli Bogusławski | Olav Kooij | Team Jumbo–Visma |
| 2 | Olav Kooij | Olav Kooij | Olav Kooij | Marcin Budziński | Olav Kooij | Team Jumbo–Visma |
| 3 | Milan Menten | Milan Menten | Olav Kooij | Torstein Træen | Mick van Dijke | Team Jumbo–Visma |
| 4 | Olav Kooij | Anders Skaarseth | Olav Kooij | Torstein Træen | Mick van Dijke | Team Jumbo–Visma |
| 5 | Stephen Williams | Stephen Williams | Olav Kooij | Simon Yates | Mick van Dijke | Team Bahrain Victorious |
| 6 | Tim van Dijke | Stephen Williams | Olav Kooij | Simon Yates | Mick van Dijke | Team Bahrain Victorious |
| Final | Final | Stephen Williams | Olav Kooij | Simon Yates | Mick van Dijke | Team Bahrain Victorious |
* On stage 2, Kristoffer Halvorsen, who was third in the points classification, wore the blue jersey, because first-placed Phil Bauhaus wore the red jersey as the leader of the general classification and second-placed Olav Kooij wore the white jersey as the leader of the young rider classification.
* On stage 3, Itamar Einhorn, who was second in the points classification, wore the blue jersey, because first-placed Olav Kooij wore the red jersey as the leader of the general classification. For the same reason, Fran Miholjević, who was second in the young rider classification, wore the white jersey.

## Final classification standings

Legend :
| Denotes the winner of the general classification | Denotes the winner of the mountains classification |
| Denotes the winner of the points classification | Denotes the winner of the young rider classification |

### General classification

Final general classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | 25h 45' 17" |
| 2 | Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 17" |
| 3 | Mick van Dijke (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 28" |
| 4 | Simon Yates (GBR) | Team BikeExchange | + 34" |
| 5 | Urko Berrade (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 35" |
| 6 | Gotzon Martín (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 36" |
| 7 | Roland Thalmann (SUI) | Team Vorarlberg | + 38" |
| 8 | Joel Nicolau (ESP) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | + 38" |
| 9 | José Félix Parra (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 38" |
| 10 | Alexis Guérin (FRA) | Team Vorarlberg | + 38" |

### Points classification

Final points classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Olav Kooij (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | 79 |
| 2 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | 75 |
| 3 | Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 56 |
| 4 | Kaden Groves (AUS) | Team BikeExchange | 55 |
| 5 | Milan Menten (BEL) | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | 54 |
| 6 | Mick van Dijke (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | 48 |
| 7 | Gotzon Martín (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | 48 |
| 8 | Itamar Einhorn (ISR) | Israel Start-Up Nation | 42 |
| 9 | Antonio Angulo (ESP) | Euskaltel–Euskadi | 39 |
| 10 | Anders Skaarseth (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 33 |

### Mountains classification

Final mountains classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Simon Yates (GBR) | Team BikeExchange | 30 |
| 2 | Stephen Williams (GBR) | Team Bahrain Victorious | 25 |
| 3 | Torstein Træen (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 23 |
| 4 | Hermann Pernsteiner (AUT) | Team Bahrain Victorious | 18 |
| 5 | Oier Lazkano (ESP) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | 17 |
| 6 | José Félix Parra (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | 12 |
| 7 | Marcin Budziński (POL) | HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski | 10 |
| 8 | Sam Oomen (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | 8 |
| 9 | Jon Barrenetxea (ESP) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | 6 |
| 10 | Lukas Meiler (GER) | Team Vorarlberg | 6 |

### Young rider classification

Final young rider classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Mick van Dijke (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | 25h 45' 45" |
| 2 | Dominik Röber (GER) | P&S Metalltechnik | + 4' 22" |
| 3 | Gal Glivar (SLO) | Adria Mobil | + 4' 42" |
| 4 | Oier Lazkano (ESP) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | + 5' 09" |
| 5 | Santiago Buitrago (COL) | Team Bahrain Victorious | + 6' 23" |
| 6 | Fran Miholjević (CRO) | Cycling Team Friuli ASD | + 7' 21" |
| 7 | Martin Messner (AUT) | WSA KTM Graz | + 7' 44" |
| 8 | Edoardo Sandri (ITA) | Cycling Team Friuli ASD | + 12' 49" |
| 9 | Savva Novikov (RUS) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 23' 38" |
| 10 | Kristjan Hočevar (SLO) | Adria Mobil | + 24' 19" |

### Team classification

Final team classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Team | Time |
| 1 | Team Bahrain Victorious | 77h 21' 01" |
| 2 | Team BikeExchange | + 1' 15" |
| 3 | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 1' 17" |
| 4 | Team Vorarlberg | + 1' 23" |
| 5 | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 1' 23" |
| 6 | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | + 1' 30" |
| 7 | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 3' 12" |
| 8 | Team Felbermayr–Simplon Wels | + 7' 20" |
| 9 | HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski | + 10' 12" |
| 10 | Euskaltel–Euskadi | + 10' 25" |