"That finishing circuit was bonkers!" Edmondson finishes second to Grosu at CRO Race

Eduard-Michael Grosu (Delko Marseille Provence) defied the expected sprint finale in Zadar, unhooking from the peloton with around a kilometre remaining to claim victory on Stage 2 of the 2019 CRO Race. Australia's Alex Edmondson (Mitchelton-Scott) beat home the reduced bunch before he and a number of riders was taken out by a race official.

Eduard-Michael Grosu (Delko Marseille Provence) unhooked from the bunch wtih a kilometre remaining to wni Stage 2 of the 2019 CRO Race Source: CRO Race

Winning on the same finish at last year's race, Grosu used that wisdom to launch his sprint super early in tetchy, rain-soaked conditions. 

But the victory was somewhat overshadowed by the crash on the final circuit and the race official who took down a number of riders, including Edmondson, after they crossed the line.

Following that collision, Bahrain Merida's Matej Mohoric was forced to abandon the race.

Edmondson described race conditions as "bonkers". 

“It was a strange old day," he said. "That finishing circuit...with the wet roads in the city, it felt like you were riding on ice.

"Callum rode awesome helping me in the final circuits as Bewls crashed and Adam was held up but managed to get back on.

“I’m happy to have got second but I really want to go one better!

“It’s really frustrating to get second after you manage to get through a sketchy street circuit only to crash after the finish. Luckily, it’s just skin and we will go again tomorrow.”

Early in the stage, Australia's Ben Hill (Ljubljana Gusto Santic), Markus Wildauer (Tyrol KTM), Daniel Lehner (Felbermayr Simplon), Dominic Hrinkow (Hrinkow Advarics), and Jens van den Dool (Metec-TKH) escaped the bunch, enjoying a maximum lead of over five minutes before they were brought back within 50 kilometres from the finish.

Hill took the maximum KOM points on offer, but Wildauer's second place on Velebit saw him retain the KOM jersey. 

A further seven riders then tried their luck but the peloton weren't interested.  

Journey with the peloton tonight as they head 155km from Okrug to the Dalmation coast to Makarska for Stage 3, live from 11pm AEST here at the Cycling Central website or via SBS On Demand. 

How the Aussies fared:

2 Alex Edmondson (Mitchelton-Scott) 0:03

11 Heinrich Haussler (Bahrain Merida) ,,

40 Callum Scotson (Mitchelton-Scott) 0:16

55 Benjamin Hill (Ljubljana Gusto Santic) 0:58

78 Timothy Guy (Ljubljana Gusto Santic) 3:29

93 Nathan Earle (Israel Cycling Academy) 8:32

GC:

3 Alex Edmondson (Mitchelton-Scott) 0:13

12 Heinrich Haussler (Bahrain Merida) 0:19

52 Benjamin Hill (Ljubljana Gusto Santic) 1:14

61 Callum Scotson (Mitchelton-Scott) 2:11

78 Timothy Guy (Ljubljana Gusto Santic) 4:11

93 Nathan Earle (Israel Cycling Academy) 8:48