Crocodile Trophy: Classens takes third victory as Gordon keeps race lead on stage 6
Two stages remain of Australian MTB stage race





The Netherlands' Bart Classens took his third victory at this year's Crocodile Trophy on Thursday, winning stage 6 by just five seconds from Australia's Michael England, who in turn took a handful of seconds back from race leader Alan Gordon of South Africa.
At 125km, the sixth stage was the longest of this year's eight-stage mountain bike race, but with fewer climbs and some smoother road surfaces compared to previous stages, the time differences between the elite riders were much smaller than they have been.
England, who led the race after winning the opening stage, took just 15 seconds back from Gordon, who still leads overall by 5:51 with two stages remaining. Classens, despite having taken three stage victories, remains in third, 11:28 back on Gordon, having lost 14 minutes on day one, while Spain's Brandan Marquez Fernandez is fourth, at 12:33.
"With 10km to go the race got serious, with one attack after the other," England explained in a press release. "Bart and I managed to get away on the second-final climb, but Alan and Brandan weren't far behind, and finished within less than a minute of us."
Elite women's leader Angelika Tazreiter (Austria) again finished in the top 10 on the stage to retain her 11th place overall.
1 | Bart Classens (Ned) | 04:40:48 |
2 | Michael England (Aus) | 0:00:05 |
3 | Alan Gordon (RSA) | 0:00:20 |
4 | Brandan Marquez Fernandez (Spa) | 0:00:29 |
5 | Stijn Van Boxstael (Bel) | 0:03:12 |
6 | Alex Malone (Aus) | 0:08:40 |
7 | Lukas Kaufmann (Aut) | 0:14:51 |
8 | Carel van Wyk (RSA) | 0:25:09 |
1 | Angelika Tazreiter (Aut) | 05:06:49 |
1 | Alan Gordon (RSA) | 25:05:16 |
2 | Michael England (Aus) | 0:05:51 |
3 | Bart Classens (Ned) | 0:11:28 |
4 | Brandan Marquez Fernandez (Spa) | 0:12:33 |
5 | Stijn Van Boxstael (Bel) | 0:57:06 |
6 | Alex Malone (Aus) | 1:23:36 |
7 | Lukas Kaufmann (Aut) | 1:40:50 |
8 | Carel van Wyk (RSA) | 3:42:54 |
1 | Angelika Tazreiter (Aut) | 29:25:06 |
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
UCI Gravel World Series – Sophie Wright and Andreas Seewald win the climb heavy Gravel Suisse
Runner-up spots claimed by Axelle Dubau-Prévot and Eislek Gravel winner Mathijs Loman -
American Criterium Cup: Aline Seitz seizes series lead with win in Downer Grove while Ben Oliver outsprints men's leader Brody McDonald
Mejías and Summerhill secure ACC sprint leads with fifth-place finishes in Wisconsin -
2025 Road National Champions index
Elite men and women who won their national road championships titles in road race and individual time trial -
Tour de France Femmes 2025 - The GC favourites form guide
Analysing the key riders to watch in pursuit of the yellow jersey