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- Published on Thursday, 25 January 2018 11:03
Challenge Mallorca
Mallorca, Spain
25-28th January 2018
I'm pretty certain we didn't get any prices quoted last year from any of the bookies for any of these races, and I wasn't sure whether I could be bothered to do a preview as a result..
But it is the European cycling season curtain opener, so I wanted to take a look at what was in store this week. The Playa de Palma in Mallorca is now in its 26th year and attracts a varied field across the four races as the terrain changes from race to race, attracting different sorts of riders. It's not a stage race of four stages, but four individual races, where riders can take part in some, or all of the races if they so wish.
Matteo Pelucchi was the star of the show in 2015 winning two out of the four races, and two years ago we saw André Greipel win the Trofeo Felanitx - Ses Salines - Campos Porreras, and the Trofeo Palma, the first and last of the four races, with Steve Cummings taking the Trofeo Polença – Andratx and Fabian Cancellara landed a spectacular win in the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana from a late breakaway.
2017 saw Greipel once again take the Trofeo Campos, Tim Wellens won the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana and the Trofeo Lloseta - Andratx and Dan McClay flew home spectacularly in the Trofeo Palma (below).
It's a nice introduction to racing in Europe, with the weather in Mallorca generally warmer than the climes in central Europe, but is a big drop in temperatures for those who have started their season in Australia or Argentina! For most of the riders though it's the first opportunity of the season to see how their off-season training has gone and for others it's an opportunity to take advantage of their race-fit legs from the TDU and San Juan.
Starting on Thursday the 25th, the first race up is the Trofeo Campos, Porreres, Felanitx, Ses Salines, the longest of the four races at nearly 177kms. The race route (and name) changes every year and this year it's a mostly clock-wise loop in the south-east of the island that takes them south to the coast at Salania de Saint Jordi and after a little loop on the west of the circuit back up to Porreras and through the finish line after 80kms. They then embark on a second loop of close to 100kms over the same circuit. It's a race that has always been won in a sprint finish, will the hill up to the finish in Porreras change that? It didn't last year, can't see it doing so this year.
On Friday the 26th is the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana, the shortest race of the week but it's the hardest day in the saddle with seven climbs and over 2,900m of climbing. It's a route comprised of two loops that sees them ride in all directions, so not only will they have the hills to contend with, but if the wind whips in off the sea we could also see echelons and splits.
Saturday the 27th is the Trofeo Lloseta-Andratx, a 165.8km run close to the north-western coast of the island over much hillier terrain, climbing to nearly 600m a third of the way through the course. This particular course was only previously run in 2008 but was reintroduced last year. It has an uphill finish which will suit the punchier guys more than the pure sprinters, as borne out by the top three last time around of Wellens, Valverde and Benoot.
Sunday the 28th sees the four days conclude with an anti-clockwise circuit north-east of Palma for the Trofeo Playa Palma de Palma, a tough, rolling circuit with the climb of the Coll des Vents which they crest with just 36kms to go. After descending down to Palma, the last 27kms or so are on a circuit around the town, so if they have managed to hang in there over the climb, it'll be fought out amongst the sprinters present.
A number of the teams, such as Etixx-QuickStep have been training in Mallorca for the last few weeks and some are going to stay on after, like Lotto-Soudal, who are preferring to stay training ahead of the Belgian Classics, than go to the Middle-East races.
It doesnt' look like we're going to get prices for these races again this year, but here's a look at what's happening for the next few days.
The Four Races
Trofeo Campos, Porreres, Felanitx, Ses Salines
Trofeo Campos, Porreres, Felanitx, Ses Salines
Thursday 25th January, 179kms
The first of the four races, a run around the southern corner of Mallorca, a sort of figure of 8 loop that they do twice. Starting out from Campos, the road climbs gently almost from the start, all the way to Porreres where they turn right and descend down to Felanitx. From there they start climbing again until they reach the highest point of the stage after 28kms and then descend again all the way down towards Santanyi and Ses Salines where the finish is.
They then take a mini detour west around two little loops, most of which is flat and close to the coast, but there is one little bump on the profile, but it looks far worse than it is, it only climbs to 50m! Back on to the main loop again after approx 100kms and do the first loop again, but this time, after doing the first loop just south of the finish, they turn right at the junction of the main loop and head back towards the finish. There is a drag up to the finish, but as we saw the last two years running, it's no problem to sprinters, as André Greipel can attest to.
Contenders
It's probably going to be one for the sprinters again, don't let the jagged profile fool you, it only rises to about 180m at its highest point. There aren't many sprinters here though, so if John Degenkolb is in any sort of good form he should win it. Other sprinters that are here who could go well include Wouter Wippert, Moreno Hofland, Coen Vermeltfoort, Jasper de Buyst, Jasper Stuyven and Kenny Dehaes.
Route Map
Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana
Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana, 139kms
Friday 26th January
This is a much more attacking sort of course, suited to the puncheurs, as the list of winners in recent years shows - Wellens, Cancellara, Valverde (x2), Kwiatkowski and Nordhaug have all won here in the last 6 editions. The double Cat 2 ascensions in the last 50kms and the Cat 3 punch just before the finish (4.5kms at 4.7%) can shake out the sprinters and let the very strong guys fight it out.
It's the same route as usual, same as last year, departing from Soller, dipping south-west to take in a small loop that dips down as far as Esporles, then comes back north to join the larger loop to the north-east. As they head north they reach Caimari and the road starts to climb for the first of the back-to-back Cat 2 climbs, the Coll de sa Batalla (8.7kms at 4.8%) and that is followed just 6kms later by the climb of the Puig Major (4.8kms at 6.8%).
They then descend for 15kms before the kick up from near Soller to the Coll den Bleda (4.5kms at 4.7%) and you can be sure this will be raced at a furious pace as riders try to break away before the finish. The last 2.5kms slope up at 2.6%, so if there is a small group comes to the finish, it's a strong finisher will win it.
This race was blown to pieces last year, with Tim Wellens winning by 24" from Louis Vervaeke, with riders all over the place behind him, as the race was run in pretty foul weather conditions, raining all day, the cameras even struggling in the gloom to take a decent picture of Wellens as you can see below. It looks like it will be the same today though, with rain forecast all day and temperatures hovering around 12 degrees, but the wind isn't too bad, only around 8-10mph.
Alejandro Valverde, who was only in 9th place was 3'43" down on Wellens, There wasn't a great lineup for this last year, but it seems to be better this year.. Movistar have a strong squad with Valverde, Amador, Erviti, Rojas and Arcas, Sky have Elissonde, Golas, Moscon, Stannard, Deignan and Van Baarle, Trek have Mollema and Brambilla making his debut in Trek colours, Lotto Soudal have Wellens, Monfort, Marczynski, Vanendert and Armée, and the Israel Cycling Academy have Sonder Holst Enger fresh from finishing second on yesterday's race, but a more realistic chance for this is Ruben Plaza.
I think the race will be blown up again today on the final two climbs, particularly the Puig Major and the winner may well accelerate away on the final pull up the Coll den Bleda. Look to Alejandro Valverde, Bauke Mollema, Gianluca Brambilla, Moscon and of course Tim Wellens, who loves it here, but also watch out for some of the Spanish teams like Caja Rural (Pardilla, Molina), Burgos-BH (Simon, Ezquerra) or Euskadi Basque Country (Txoperana).
It's a pity the race isn't shown live, even for the last hour or so, it should be a good finish, one to watch on Youtube later on maybe. As for the win? I think Wellens will be hard to beat again in these conditions, the Lotto team is a strong one that should get him in a position to win it over the closing kilometres. Valverde and Mollema should be close too.
Route Map
Profile
Trofeo Lloseta-Andratx
Trofeo Lloseta-Andratx, 175kms
Saturday 27th January
This is a much tougher route, with lots of climbing to be done today. Definitely not one for the sprinters.. The Trofeo Lloseta-Andratx is a 175km run close to the north-western coast of the island over much hillier terrain, climbing to a highest point of nearly 600m a third of the way through the course.
They set out from Lloseta and the first 30kms are pretty flat, but suddenly they tackle the tough Col Fenenias which averages 5.6% for 7.6kms. After the descent it's flat for 35kms, they pass through the start town of Lloseta and start heading south-west towards the coast. From here on in it is up and down all the way, with the highest point being the Coll de Claret which they crest with 110kms gone. They crest seven more hills before the uphill finish in Andratx
This particular course was only previously run in 2008 but was reintroduced last year. It has an uphill finish which will suit the punchier guys more than the pure sprinters, as borne out by the top three last time around of Wellens, Valverde and Benoot, the two lotto boys working over Valverde to take 1st and 3rd much to the chagrin of the locals and organisers.
Route Map
Profile
Trofeo Palma
Trofeo Palma, 159.6kms
Sunday January 28th
The same route as last year, an anti-clockwise run in to the inland and back down to the coast for a finish at Palma. It's mostly flat, but with 44kms to go they start on the Coll de sa Creu, the main obstacle of the day. It looks like a very steep climb on the profile, but it's actually only 2.3% average for 10kms, so most of the sprinters should be able to get over it. And even if they lose a little ground there are still 34kms to go to the finish, so they have plently of time to get back on.
Last year's race ended in a bunch sprint, with Dan McClay producing one of the most spectacular sprints of the season to weave through the pack and take the win, beating Pelucchi, Bouhanni and Greipel. Hard to see it being anything other than a sprint again, and another chance for Degenkolb to add to his win in the first race on Thursday.
Route Map
Profile
