The Bold Move That Nearly Stole the Show at CRO Race

Klaus Schmidt · 2026-09-26

Domen Novak didn't just ride stage 4 of the CRO Race. He attacked. With 39km to go, the Slovenian climber launched a daring move for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, and for a while, it looked like it might stick. He was caught, but he still had enough left to sprint to third from a select group. That's bike racing in a nutshell: you gamble, you suffer, and sometimes you walk away with something to show for it. ### A Team Riding on Momentum A day earlier, Tim Wellens had taken third on stage 3. So when Novak went clear on stage 4, the team already had reason to feel good. Wellens kept his third place overall, and with two stages left, the squad was sitting pretty. It's the kind of week where everything clicks. You know those days when the legs feel good and the tactics just work? That was UAE Team Emirates-XRG at the CRO Race. ### Why This Result Matters More Than It Looks Third place might not sound like a headline grabber. But context is everything. Novak isn't a pure sprinter. He's a climber who decided to roll the dice on a stage that didn't necessarily suit him. And he still made the select group. That tells you something about his form and his hunger. - He attacked with 39km to go, which is a long way out. Most riders would wait. - He held on over the climbs, which shows his climbing legs are where they need to be. - He sprinted to third, which means he wasn't just surviving—he was racing. That's a rider who's willing to lose in order to win. And teams love that. ### The Bigger Picture for UAE Team Emirates-XRG Wellens sits third overall. Novak just proved he can animate a race. Two stages remain, and the team has options. They can protect Wellens, or they can send Novak up the road again. Either way, they're not just defending—they're attacking. That's how you win races in modern cycling. You don't wait for someone else to make the first move. You make it yourself. > "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." — Wayne Gretzky. Novak took his shot. It didn't land on the top step, but it sent a message. ### What This Means for the Rest of the Race With two stages to go, the CRO Race is still wide open. Wellens is third overall, and Novak is clearly on good form. Other teams will have to watch them both. That's a luxury not every squad has. For fans, it means we get to watch aggressive racing. For the riders, it means more chances to shine. So no, Novak didn't win stage 4. But he made it memorable. And sometimes that's just as valuable.