Umag, Croatia – In a stunning and unusual finish to the Umag Classic on Tuesday, Dušan Rajović of Solution Tech-Nippo-Rali and Adam Bradáč of Factor Racing were both declared winners of the UCI 1.2-ranked one-day race. The improbable tie came after a photo finish couldn’t separate the two riders at the end of the 142.3km hilly circuit along the Croatian coast.
The race, which featured 155 riders from 28 teams, culminated in a mass sprint finish. Bradáč, a 19-year-ancient Czech cyclist, appeared to have secured the win, raising his arms in celebration prematurely. Though, the experienced Rajović, 28, capitalized on Bradáč’s early celebration, surging forward to cross the finish line simultaneously. A careful review of the photo finish confirmed the dead heat, leading race officials to award both riders the victory.
This outcome is exceptionally rare in professional cycling. The incident brought to mind similar premature celebrations from Julian Alaphilippe at the 2020 Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Lorena Wiebes at the 2024 Amstel Gold Race, and the infamous case of Erik Zabel at the 2004 Milan-San Remo – all instances where riders nearly relinquished victory through early exuberance. Bradáč, however, managed to avoid the same fate.
“I’m not sure what happened – I consider I stopped pedalling a bit too early, and he quickly reached the finish line,” Bradáč said, according to Cyclingnews. The young rider’s first professional victory is certainly one he won’t soon forget, even with the unusual circumstances.
Rajović, meanwhile, demonstrated resilience and determination in the final sprint. Despite a mechanical issue – a chain skip approximately 200 meters from the finish – he battled to stay in contention. “Quel sprint,” Rajović commented after the race, as reported by Le Parisien. “I lost some speed because of the chain skip, but I gave everything until the last meter, managing to get alongside Bradac and finish together.”
The Umag Classic, while not typically a major event on the professional cycling calendar, provided a memorable moment for both Rajović and Bradáč. For Rajović, the win continues a strong run of form. He previously won the Tour of Shanghai in September and recently secured a stage victory in the Tour of Sardinia. Bradáč’s triumph marks his first professional win, signaling a promising start to his career with Factor Racing.
The result underscores the unpredictable nature of sprint finishes in cycling, where fractions of a second and split-second decisions can determine the outcome. The shared victory at the Umag Classic is a testament to the competitive spirit and the fine margins that separate success and near-misses in the sport.
Both riders will now look ahead to their next challenges on the cycling circuit. Bradáč is hoping to build on this momentum, while Rajović aims to maintain his winning streak. The cycling world will be watching to witness what these two talented riders accomplish in the races to approach.
The next scheduled race for many of these teams is the Belgrade Banjaluka, a multi-stage race beginning later this month. Fans can follow updates and results on ProCyclingStats (https://www.procyclingstats.com/) and FirstCycling (https://firstcycling.com/).
