Tim Wellens secured third place in the general classification of the 2026 CRO Race, finishing the six-stage event eight seconds behind winner Tobias Svarre of Uno-X Mobility, according to a report from the Emirates News Agency. Antonio Tiberi of Bahrain Victorious placed second at four seconds off the pace while the Belgian rider from UAE Team Emirates-XRG maintained his position by finishing safely inside the peloton on the concluding stage from Zagreb on September 27. The result adds to a consistent late-season campaign for Wellens, who had moved into podium contention with a strong showing on the queen stage earlier in the week.
Wellens produced a battling performance to claim third on stage three between Krk and Labin, a result that lifted him to third in the standings just eight seconds off the lead at that point, the UAE Team Emirates team site reported. That effort on the queen stage proved decisive in securing his final podium placing as subsequent stages did not significantly alter the top of the general classification. The race covered demanding terrain across Croatia with the final day resulting in a sprint finish won by Davide Donati of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG entered the 11th edition of the CRO Race as defending champions after securing overall victories through Brandon McNulty in both 2024 and 2025, according to historical results compiled by the event organizers. Wellens was selected to lead the team’s general classification ambitions this year following his recent triumph at the Tour of Britain, where he demonstrated strong form in stage races. The squad also featured sprinter Sebastián Molano, who targeted opportunities on flatter stages during the event that ran from September 22 to 27.
The CRO Race, which evolved from the Tour of Croatia that began in 2015, has attracted top UCI teams and past winners including Vincenzo Nibali in 2017 and Adam Yates in 2019, Wikipedia entries on the race history detail. This year’s edition featured tight margins at the top of the standings with the top three separated by only eight seconds at the conclusion. Wellens’ podium continues a pattern of strong performances by UAE Team Emirates-XRG riders in Croatian races over recent seasons.
Svarre claimed the yellow jersey with a total time of 21 hours, 37 minutes and 50 seconds for the 2026 CRO Race while Tiberi and Wellens rounded out the podium, figures from the official race results show. The Belgian rider had accumulated bonus seconds in the opening stages before his key move on the queen stage helped consolidate his position. Additional stage wins and consistent placings across the week contributed to the team’s overall competitive display.
Wellens’ third-place result marks another notable achievement in a season that has included multiple high placings in UCI events, as outlined in team summaries from earlier races. The CRO Race serves as an important late-season target for European squads preparing for world championships and final campaigns. UAE Team Emirates-XRG will now evaluate the campaign as riders transition toward the end of the 2026 calendar.
