Challenge de Mallorca 2023 (3 Trofeo Andratx-Mirador D’es Colomer) [FULL RACE]

January 27, 2023

Challenge de Mallorca 2023 – Trofeo Andratx-Mirador D’es Colomer – Andratx – Coll de la Creueta : 160,9 km

Challenge Mallorca is the name given to five distinct but related one-day races that take place on the Spanish island of Mallorca over a five-day period, often at the start of the season. As it usually takes place in late January, this event is often targeted by world-class pros looking to kick off their seasons with an early win. The event was first established back in 1992 and featured five one-day races over five days, although this was cut down to four in 2012 due to financial complications before being bumped back up to five in 2022. The organisers tend to market the event as a ‘Tour of Majorca’ despite the fact that it has never been classed as a multi-day stage race. There is an unofficial ‘overall’ winner crowned at the end of the series however, which goes to the rider who has completed the five courses in the least accumulated time.

Kobe Goossens gave Intermarché-Circus-Wanty their second win in three days of the Challenge Mallorca and the first of his professional career, soloing to victory on the summit finale at Mirador des Colomer.

Pelayo Sanchez (Burgos-BH) out-sprinted Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Dstny) to round out the podium at Trofeo Andratx-Mirador des Colomer.

Goossens, 26, was the last rider to survive the day’s early breakaway on a freezing cold and wet 160.9km stage. He was one of only two out front at the crest of the island’s tallest mountain, the Coll Puig Major with 47km to go along with Bora-Hansgrohe’s Cian Uijtdebroeks.

Uijtdebroeks, unwilling to risk it on the treacherous descents, let go of Goossens wheel with more than 20 kilometres still to race. Meanwhile, Goossens kept fighting alone, displaying a deep well of grit and determination to hold off a concerted chase from Soudal-Quickstep into a stinging headwind.

A small portion of the peloton caught Uijtebroeks midway through the last two-kilometre push to the finish but couldn’t catch the Intermarché rider, who still enjoyed a 39-second lead at the line.

The Northern Europeans usually come to Mallorca for some warm weather racing away from the cold, wet winters but the stage from Andratx to Mirador des Colomer was anything but Spanish – it was much more like Belgium. Snow peppered the Sierra Tramuntana and clouds quickly shrouded the peloton after a deceptively sunny start.

The climbs came early, in quick succession, and grew higher over the first 100km, capping off on the category 1 Coll Puig Major – the highest mountain on Mallorca – at 48km to go. Riders set a furtive tempo in the near-freezing conditions, making for a tough ride to the final 2km kicker up the cliffs of Mirador des Colomer – high above the Port de Pollença.

An early breakaway of eight, clad in arm warmers, leg warmers and vests, fell apart in the mountains. Uijtdebroeks and Goossens were the last survivors of the group after dropping Michael Ries (Arkéa-Samsic), Mathijs Paasschens (Lotto-Dstny), Julen Amezqueta (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Mattias Bais (Eolo-Kometa, and Alessio Nieri (Green Project-Bardiani CSF Faizane).

After jettisoning most of the group, Uijtdebroeks and Goossens extended a 50-second lead to a minute and change. Along the undulating 20km after the summit of the Puig Major, Soudal-Quickstep set a brisk temp at the head of a much-reduced peloton – perhaps more to keep warm than out of concern the duo might stay away – keeping the gap around 1:12.

The descent off the mountain was wet and tricky, and Uijtdebroeks was far more cautious than his compatriot, who took risks to open a gap on the Tour de l’Avenir winner.

As Goossens reached the valley floor, he had 1:40 as the peloton began to stretch out on the technical end of the descent. A cross-headwind contributed to the gaps in the peloton, allowing Soudal-Quickstep’s Ilan van Wilder, Louis Vervaeke and Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe) to clip off the front. Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EasyPost) joined them but the peloton made more ground to reel them in than the chasers had made into the lead of Goossens.

The Intermarché rider and Uijtdebroeks, midway between the leader and the peloton with 5km to go, were stretched across a nearly unassailable gap as they hit the base of the final two-kilometre climb. Soudal-Quickstep got the bit between their teeth to chase but left it too late.

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