Challenge Mallorca

Spanish 'Campionissimo' on the podium as Most Active rider; starts final pro season on top places as he leads offensive Blues, with Rubio, Jorgenson on the move.

Everything (happily) remains the same. Twenty years after his professional debut, Alejandro Valverde again made it into the top places on his first outing of the season at the Challenge Mallorca, and gave the Movistar Team some good results to take home in what should be his last year in the pro peloton.

It was a 6th place for the endless Spanish superstar in the Trofeo Calvià, a 154km hilly course in the west of the island, from Peguera to Palmanova, dominated by American Brandon McNulty (UAD) with a 60km solo move taken to fruition.

McNulty left behind a 30-rider group including four of the Movistar Team members lining up at the start. Alongside Valverde were Gregor Mühlberger and a quite active Einer Rubio and Matteo Jorgenson, who went on the move before McNulty’s decisive attempt. Matteo was the last of the Blues to remain with Alejandro; despite the Spaniard’s attempt to bring the winner back, he had to stay content with finishing in the pursuit group.

‘Bala’, who ended 1’17” behind the winner, still made it onto the day’s podium as he was declared the day’s Most Active rider by the organisers. Thursday will be another opportunity in the Balearic Islands for the Movistar Team, which had two newcomers (Oier Lazkano and Will Barta) making their first appearance in the La Passione jersey on Wednesday, and will have some more new faces at Thursday’s Trofeo Alcudia.

— Trofeo Alcudia lineup (Thursday 27th): Will Barta, Iván García Cortina, Juri Hollmann, Oier Lazkano, Lluís Mas, Iván Sosa, Albert Torres