Take a closer look with us at what to expect for Team Sky's debut showing at the Mallorca Challenge.
Preview of the 21st edition
One of the traditional starting points for the European season, the Mallorca Challenge gives teams and riders the chance to feel their way into the new season.
A somewhat unique format, the early-season races are run as part of the same series but each event is an individual (1.1 classified) road race. The organisers also allow teams the chance to enter a long list of 10 riders to rotate over the four events.
The varied terrain on the Balearic island means races such as Trofeo Palma will be perfectly suited to sprinters while an event like Trofeo Deia will favour an altogether different faction of the peloton. That, combined with the prospect of good weather conditions, gives the event a strong entry list year after year.
Previously a five-day spectacle, budgetary constraints have seen the number of individual races cut to four this season. Despite that the programme of races appeals to Team Sky who have spent the bulk of the winter training on the island.
Stages
Sunday 5 February - Race one: Trofeo Palma – 116km
Also referred to as Trofeo Palma-Mallorca in recent years – the event has been won by a host of top names in the past and is traditionally one for the sprinters. One look at the profile tells you why as this event is a pan-flat circuit race with 10 laps of an 11.6-kilometre out-and-back course along the coast. Various sprints are thrown in to keep a breakaway occupied ahead of what should be a full-throttle sprint in the Mallorcan capital.
Monday 6 February – Race two: Trofeo Migjorn – 171.7km
Day two sees a different challenge as the action heads further around the southern coast of the island for an undulating test. The race is based around Llucmajor and contains barely a moment of flat terrain. The route loops around the coast as far as Santanyi before the first trip into Campos. Two fourth category climbs at Montuiri (139km) and the Coll de Sa Bastida (151km) should shape the finale, but a downhill run into back into Campos will favour any fast men still remaining in the bunch.
Tuesday 7 February – Race three: Trofeo Deia – 151km
The climbers in each team’s roster will be called upon for the second half of the race programme beginning with the Trofeo Deia. Now entering its third year in the event, the race sees six categorised climbs and some of the most renowned training tests to the north of the island. The riders head out of Deia and are immediately met with two second category climbs to open up the legs before an anti-clockwise loop. The Coll de Sa Batalla (78.1km), Puig Major (94.6km) should soften the riders up ahead of the Coll de Soller (119.3km) and a run back up to Deia. The final obstacle comes in the form of the Valldemossa with just 10.7km to go.
Wednesday 8 February – Race four: Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana – 160.2km
The shake-up in the racing continues with the final day and the newly-installed Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana. Nestled to the north-west of the island, the race is another one for the climbers with another crack at both the Coll de Soller and Puig Major. This time the climbs are shifted further towards the finale with the full 935-metre ascent of Puig Major coming just 14.4km from home. Another undulating day means that rider rotation could come into play if teams want to effectively target victory.
Tactics
The four races will see the team rotate 10 riders with the emphasis on getting back into the swing of racing. Luke Rowe and Salvatore Puccio will be making their pro debuts and will be encouraged to get into the thick of the action.
Team Sky history
This season marks the team’s first assault on the Mallorcan races after traditionally opting to begin their European season on French roads. Before his tenure with Team Sky began Edvald Boasson Hagen came close to adding Trofeo Magalluf-Palmanova (then Trofeo Calvia) to his palmares with second place on the island in 2009.
What they are saying
will follow here closer to the start of the race...
