Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana

Movistar Team sticks to last chance from Ventoso in Alcudia tomorrow after difficult day at Challenge's mountainous trophy in Lluc. Kwiatkowski (OPQ) wins solo

Differently to the 2013 edition, when the Movistar Team dominated the course to set up Alejandro Valverde for the win, the telephone squad could not contest victory today at the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana, third day in the Challenge Ciclista Mallorca over 153km, including five ascents and the chained Sóller (Cat. 2) and Puigmajor (Cat. 1) before a rollercoaster ride en route to the Monasterio de Lluc.

The Blue squad picked up the pace into the bunch at the foot of the latter climb, reducing gaps with the early, original, seven-man breakway. However, an attack from Sergio Henao (SKY) and Michal Kwiatkowski (OPQ) halfway through the ascent opened a gap that increased up to thirty seconds over the big group at the summit. The Polish rider would eventually go ahead solo after the escapees were on his sights, reaching the arrivée with exactly the same advantage the duo crested in between. Boasson Hagen (SKY) and Gavazzi (AST) led the bunch home, with Intxausti as top Blue performer in 27th place.

Chances by Fran Ventoso will be again the main point of attention for the Movistar Team on Wednesday at the final event of the Majorcan week: the Trofeo Muro – Port d’Alcúdia, 162km with the climbs of Femenies (Cat. 2), the Puigmajor (Cat. 2) -through its least steep versant-, the Coll de Sóller (Cat. 2) and the Coll d’Honor (Cat. 2), all four out of the last 50k.

Picture (c): Ciclismo a Fondo