Palmanova [Italy], January 30: Antonio Morgado stormed to a spectacular victory at the Trofeo Calvia on Wednesday afternoon. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider bridged across to, and subsequently dropped, the breakaway, before out-sprinting Hector Álvarez (Spain) to the line in Palmanova.
The opening race of the Challenge Mallorca was held in torrential rain, making for an attritional day that set up a duel between Morgado and Álvarez.
Surviving the tough and relentless short climbs that made up the race on Wednesday, Adrien Boichis (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Ådne Holter (Uno-X Mobility), and Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost) held an advantage of well over a minute and a half heading into the penultimate categorised ascent of the day. With a little under 40km to ride, the race victory in many ways looked to be theirs for the taking.
Sensing that the day had started to get away from the peloton, Morgado took his leave from the pack with 33km to go. It was a violent acceleration from the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider, who was still wearing his rain jacket, such was the state of conditions in Mallorca. As his rear wheel disappeared from sight, so did the chance of victory for the peloton.
Only Álvarez, turning out for the Spanish national team, could eventually show his face and force his way across to Morgado, with the pair joining together in pursuit of the three men who remained at the head of the race. As for Boichis, Holter and Steinhauser, their lead was a minute and a half as they began to make their way up the Coll de sa Gramola (3.1km at 5.2 percent).
Hot on their heels, Morgado and Álvarez made such a dent in the trio's advantage on the climb that, within a couple of kilometres of the descent, three had become five at the head of the bike race. In turn, Morgado and Álvarez showed no hesitation in asserting their authority as the final climb approached. The Coll de Soma, with its 5 percent average over 2.6km, offered fertile ground to make a definitive attack.
That move came first from the Spaniard, swiftly followed by Morgado, and the pair were soon alone off the front. Despite their best efforts, the surviving members of the breakaway could find no answers, and it was left to Morgado and Álvarez to contest the day's honours. With nothing to separate the two, their battle rumbled on into a sprint finish in Palmanova.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG also placed two riders in the top 10, with Nils Politt eighth and Rune Herregodts ninth in their first race of the season.
Source: Emirates News Agency
