Valverde officially back from injury on Mallorca day one
25 January 2018

Trofeo Campos - Ses Salines

Spanish superstar from Movistar Team completes first Challenge trophy, 208 days after his injury in the TDF. Bennati takes 7th place at finishing sprint, where Degenkolb (TFS) prevails.

He’s finally back. Alejandro Valverde put on bib #1 at the first day of the 2018 Mallorca Challenge, Thursday’s flat Trofeo Campos – Ses Salines (177km), where German John Degenkolb (TFS) into a bunch sprint ahead of Movistar Team’s Daniele Bennati (7th place).

The relatively easy route opening this year’s Challenge made for a calm debut for Valverde –208 days out of racing after his injury in the Tour de France– and his team-mates, who nonetheless had to bring some efforts to the table before the finish, the peloton kicking it up for an average exceeding 44kph at the end of the race.

Valverde will again be part of the Blue roster on Friday -together with debutant Rosón, Erviti, Rojas, Arcas, Amador and Carretero– at the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana, the hardest course of this week’s racing in Spain, with six rated climbs in just 140km from Sóller to Deià.

All pictures (c): Photo Gomez Sport