The Amazing Race Season 38 week 5 recap: Double U-Turn drama in Croatia and frustrating roadblock brings teams to tears

The Amazing Race season 38 faced a Double U-Turn in Croatia, where the first team to arrive at the Pit Stop and check in with host Phil Keoghan emerged as the winner, while the last team got eliminated.

The competition heated up as the nine remaining teams boarded their flights and flew to Croatia in episode 5 of The Amazing Race season 38.

The leg featured a high-stakes Double U-Turn, a physically demanding Detour with options to haul fishing nets or fillet monkfish, and a frustrating Roadblock task where competitors had to build racing carts and complete a street luge course in under 36 seconds.

Tensions ran high among the Big Brother alumni, with old rivalries surfacing and strategic moves shaking up the leaderboard. In the end, Tucker and Eric Des Lauriers claimed first place.

While sisters Hannah and Simone Chaddha finished last and were eliminated, leaving eight teams still in the race, competing for the $1000,000 prize and title.

The Roadblock challenge frustrated everyone and brought tears to the teams in The Amazing Race season 38, week 5

The leg in Croatia began with a Detour, giving teams a choice between two physically demanding tasks. One option, Fisherman Haul, required competitors to carry a fishing net and a bucket of chum across town to the old port.

The other, Skin 'Em All, tested teams’ patience and culinary skills, as they had to fillet two monkfish. Both options challenged the racers’ stamina while also adding strategic pressure to the leg. As teams completed the Detour, the next clue introduced the Double U-Turn, heightening tensions.

Jas and Jag Bains used the twist to target Izzy Gleicher and Paige Seber, while Joseph and Adam Abdin chose to U-Turn Kristine and Rubina Bernabe. Despite being forced to complete both sides of the Detour, all the affected teams strived and continued racing.

Following the U-Turn, the teams faced a Roadblock that proved especially difficult. Competitors had to construct a racing cart and then complete a street luge course in under 36 seconds. Tucker and Eric Des Lauriers were the first to finish, securing a strong lead as they headed toward the Pit Stop.

Other teams, including Izzy and Paige, Kristine and Rubina, Chelsie, Paige and Simone, struggled with the cart-building portion and the time limit, with some visibly frustrated and on the verge of tears.

The pressure intensified as the competition narrowed to four women: Chelsie, Paige, Simone, and Kristine, each striving not to be the last to finish and face elimination.

The leg ultimately came down to a tense showdown between Kristine Bernabe and Simone Chaddha, with Kristine narrowly reaching the pit first and avoiding the last-place finish, as the Chaddha sisters went back home in Week 5.

Here is the final result and the positions of the contestants in the task:

First Place: Tucker & Eric, each winning $2,500.

Second Place: Kyland & Taylor

Third Place: Jas & Jag

Fourth Place: Joseph & Adam

Fifth Place: Natalie & Stephanie

Sixth Place: Jack & Chelsie

Seventh Place: Izzy & Paige

Eighth Place: Kristine & Rubina

Last Place/Eliminated: Hannah & Simone

Eight teams have remained, moving forward to compete in The Amazing Race season 38 

1. Engaged couple: Izzy Gleicher and Paige Seber

2. Father and daughter: Jack Baham and Chelsie Baham

3. Entrepreneurial brothers: Jas Bains and Jag Bains 

4. Brothers: Joseph Abdin and Adam Abdin

5. Sisters: Kristine Bernabe and Rubina Bernabe

6. Dating couple: Kyland Young and Taylor Hale

7. Sisters: Natalie Negrotti and Stephanie Negrotti

8. Brothers: Tucker Des Lauriers and Eric Des Lauriers 

The new season of The Amazing Race includes thirteen teams of two competing in challenges across Europe. This time, it is a crossover of two CBS universes, as each team will feature an alumnus from the Big Brother universe.

New episodes feature weekly every Wednesday at 9:00 pm ET/PT on CBS.

Stay tuned for more updates.