Challenge de Mallorca 2018 (1 Trofeo Campos-Porreres-Felanitx-Ses Salines) – [Highlights] (spanish)

January 25, 2017
Challenge de Mallorca 2018 – Trofeo Campos-Porreres-Felanitx-Ses Salines – Campos – Porreres – Felanitx – Ses Salines – 177,9 km

The Challenge Vuelta Ciclista a Mallorca (English: Tour of Majorca, Catalan: Challenge Volta Ciclista a Mallorca) is a series of five professional one day road bicycle races held on the Spanish island of Mallorca in early February. The event is used as an early season preparatory event by many of the top teams in readiness for the bigger races later in the season. The five races are ranked 1.1 on the UCI Europe Tour.

John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) emerged victorious on the opening day of the Challenge Mallorca, beating Sondre Holst Enger (Israel Cycling Academy) and Jasper De Buyst (Lotto Soudal) in a bunch finish in Ses Salines.

Degenkolb delivered a powerful sprint finish to claim a resounding victory on his first race day of 2018, and the German will hope that it is an augury for better things after two seasons blighted by injury.

The 179-kilometre Trofeo Campos-Porreres-Felanitix-Ses Salines marked the beginning of the 2018 European racing season and saw Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) make his first competitive appearance since he crashed out on the opening day of last year’s Tour de France.

There was a rather bracing start to the year for the peloton, as the road climbed almost immediately after the flag was dropped just outside Porreres. Preben Van Hecke (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) attacked on the category 4 Coll Es Monjos, and Eloy Teruel (Spain) bridged across to the Belgian over the top of the climb.

The leading duo were joined shortly afterwards by Gonzalo Serrano (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Álvaro Robredo (Burgos-BH), Aitor González (Euskadi-Murias), Alberto Amici (Biesse Carrera Gavardo), Jon Ander Insausti (Fundacion Euskadi) and Botond Hollo (Pannon Cycling Team), and this eight-man move quickly established a firm lead over the peloton.

After 65 kilometres, their advantage was just shy of two minutes, and though the sprinters’ teams kept close tabs on the escapees, their buffer augmented a little further during a brisk second hour of racing, reaching a maximum of 2:45 with 60 kilometres remaining.

The break’s unity eventually fragmented on the third and last of the day’s category 4 climbs, the Coll Es Monjos. Van Hecke was once again aggressive on the ascent, and only Gonzal Serrano, Gonzalez, Amici and Insausti could follow his tempo to the top.

Behind, the speed was beginning to rise in the main peloton as Trek-Segafredo, Lotto Soudal and others began to marshal their lead-outs ahead of the fast run-in to Ses Salines, and the break’s lead was slashed accordingly.

With 50 kilometres to go, the gap was down to 1:30, and the margin tightened gradually thereafter, dropping to 46 seconds with 30 kilometres remaining. Lotto Soudal were especially active in the closing kilometres, and the Belgian squad’s efforts brought an end to Van Hecke and company’s adventure with a shade over 15 kilometres remaining.

Burgos-BH, Trek-Segafredo and Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij were all prominent in the closing kilometres as the sprinters’ teams vied for supremacy, but the strength in depth of Degenkolb’s red guard, which included Jasper Stuyven, ultimately proved telling.

After navigating the technical final kilometre, Degenkolb was well positioned as the road straightened up in the final 200 metres, and he produced a fine sprint to get his 2018 season off to the perfect start.

Holst Enger held off De Buyst for third, while Kenny Dehaes (WB-Veranclassic-Aqua Protect) took fourth ahead of Albert Torres (Spain).

The event traditionally finishes in a bunch sprint, and Degenkolb is the third German winner in as many years following André Greipel’s victories in 2016 and 2017. Other recent winners include Sacha Modolo (2014), Tyler Farrar (2011), Oscar Freire (2010) and Robbie McEwen (2009).

The Challenge Mallorca – a series of four one-day races rather than a stage race – continues on Friday with the rather hillier Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana, which features six climbs, including the Coll de Puig Major, ahead of the finish Deià. Valverde, who finished safely in the main peloton, could be among those looking to test themselves on more rugged terrain on Friday.

Results :

1 John Degenkolb (Ger) Trek – Segafredo 4:02:18
2 Sondre Enger (Nor) Israel Cycling Academy
3 Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal
4 Kenny Dehaes (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
5 Albert Torres Barcelo (Spa) National team
6 Xavier Cañellas (Spa) National team
7 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Movistar Team
8 Erik Baska (Svk) Bora – Hansgrohe
9 Leonardo Basso (Ita) Team Sky
10 Aaron Grosser (Ger) Team Sauerland Nrw P B Sk
11 Daniel Lopez Parada (Spa) Burgos – BH
12 Jordi Warlop (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
13 Enrique Sanz Unzue (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country – Murias
14 Bram Welten (Ned) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
15 Kenneth Van Rooy (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
16 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek – Segafredo
17 Kevyn Ista (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
18 Jesus Ezquerra (Spa) Burgos – BH
19 Nelson A Soto Martinez (Col) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
20 Wouter Wippert (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
21 José Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team
22 Egoitz Fernandez (Spa) Team Euskadi
23 Omer Goldstein (Isr) Israel Cycling Academy
24 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek – Segafredo
25 Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky
26 Lukas Pöstlberger (Ger) Bora – Hansgrohe
27 Kevin Deltombe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
28 Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
29 Per Chris Münstermann (Ger) Team Sauerland Nrw P B Sk 0:00:06
30 Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team Sky
31 Raul Colombo (Ita) Biesse Carrera Gavardo
32 Hector Saez Benito (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country – Murias
33 Fabricio Ferrari (Arg) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
34 Adrian Gonzalez (Spa) Burgos – BH
35 Elmar Reinders (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
36 Christophe Noppe (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
37 Eloy Teruel Rovira (Spa) National team 0:00:08
38 Ibai Salas Zorrozua (Spa) Burgos – BH
39 Emiel Planckaert (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
40 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
41 Sergio Pardilla Bellon (Spa) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
42 Gotzon Martin Sanz (Spa) Team Euskadi
43 Enrico Salvador (Ita) Biesse Carrera Gavardo
44 Dylan van Baarle (Ned) Team Sky
45 Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky
46 Mathias Van Gompel (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
47 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky
48 Ricardo Garcia (Spa) Team Euskadi
49 Maxime Daniel (Fra) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
50 Jordi Simon Casulleras (Spa) Burgos – BH
51 Michael C Svendgaard (Den) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
52 Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora – Hansgrohe
53 Daniel Turek (Cze) Israel Cycling Academy
54 Dániel Dina (Hun) Pannon Cycling Team
55 Guy Niv (Isr) Israel Cycling Academy
56 Sebastian Mora (Spa) National team
57 Eliot Lietaer (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
58 Felix Intra (Ger) Team Sauerland Nrw P B Sk
59 Pim Ligthart (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
60 Antonio Molina Canet (Spa) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
61 Markel Irizar Aramburu (Spa) Trek – Segafredo
62 Jorge Arcas (Spa) Movistar Team
63 Eduard Prades Reverter (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country – Murias
64 Márton Dina (Hun) Pannon Cycling Team
65 Alex Aranburu Deba (Spa) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
66 Sindre S Lunke (Nor) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
67 Julien Mortier (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
68 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team
69 Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
70 Andrey Amador (CrC) Movistar Team
71 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek – Segafredo
72 Frederik Frison (Bel) Lotto Soudal
73 Julio A Amores Palacio (Spa) National team 0:00:18
74 Péter Simon (Hun) Pannon Cycling Team 0:00:20
75 Hector Carretero (Spa) Movistar Team
76 Louis Leinau (Ger) Team Sauerland Nrw P B Sk
77 Lawrence Naesen (Bel) Lotto Soudal
78 Juan A Lopez-Cozar (Spa) Team Euskadi
79 Andrea Zanardini (Ita) Biesse Carrera Gavardo
80 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Lotto Soudal 0:00:29
81 Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora – Hansgrohe 0:00:32
82 Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic 0:00:39
83 Viktor Filutás (Hun) Pannon Cycling Team
84 Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky
85 Ludovic Robeet (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic 0:00:40
86 Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Team Fortuneo – Samsic 0:00:50
87 Pablo Torres Muiño (Spa) Burgos – BH
88 Pierre Luc Perichon (Fra) Team Fortuneo – Samsic
89 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:53
90 Unai Iribar (Spa) National team 0:00:54
91 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Israel Cycling Academy
92 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise
93 Diego Lopez Fuentes (Spa) Team Euskadi
94 Sergio Rodriguez Reche (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country – Murias 0:00:56
95 Gotzon Udondo (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country – Murias
96 Juraj Sagan (Svk) Bora – Hansgrohe 0:01:23
97 Julien Stassen (Bel) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic 0:01:30
98 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:01:55
99 James Shaw (GBr) Lotto Soudal
100 Matthias Brändle (Aut) Trek – Segafredo 0:02:21
101 Luis E Lemus Davila (Mex) Israel Cycling Academy 0:02:38
102 Lorenzo Delcó (Swi) Biesse Carrera Gavardo
103 Jan Willem Van Schip (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij 0:03:16
104 Peio Goikoetxea (Spa) Team Euskadi
105 Aitor Gonzalez Prieto (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country – Murias
106 Alvaro Robredo Crespo (Spa) Burgos – BH
107 Jon Knolle (Ger) Team Sauerland Nrw P B Sk
108 Jon Ander Insausti (Spa) Team Euskadi
109 Illart Zuazubiskar (Spa) National team
110 Miklos Szabo (Svk) Pannon Cycling Team
111 Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij
112 Rafael Reis (Por) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
113 Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Bora – Hansgrohe
114 Leopold Konig (Cze) Bora – Hansgrohe
115 Nick Van Der Lijke (Ned) Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij 0:04:57
116 Luca Felix Happke (Ger) Team Sauerland Nrw P B Sk
117 Gonzalo Serrano (Spa) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA 0:05:17
118 Gergo Orosz (Hun) Pannon Cycling Team
119 Botond Holló (Hun) Pannon Cycling Team 0:06:03
120 Alberto Amici (Ita) Biesse Carrera Gavardo 0:06:07
121 Enrico Logica (Ita) Biesse Carrera Gavardo 0:08:05
122 Nicolo Gozzi (Ita) Biesse Carrera Gavardo