British neo-pro Andy Fenn got his season off to a dream start with victory at the Trofeo Palma in Mallorca.
First pro win for young talent
British neo-pro Andy Fenn got his season off to a dream start with victory at the Trofeo Palma in Mallorca.
The 21-year-old took the sprint in chilly conditions from Andre Schulze (NetApp) and Alexander Porsev (Katusha) to start his pro career with a bang.
The win was the first of a quick-fire double for Fenn’s Omega Pharma-Quickstep squad who also took out the first stage at the Tour of Qatar moments later courtesy of Tom Boonen.
On a pan-flat course it was no surprise to see the sprinter’s teams taking control of the race around the harbour in Palma to set up a sprint finish alongside the seafront auditorium.
British success
After providing a winter of training in pleasant conditions for a number of WorldTour teams, Mallorca had other ideas for the first of a four-day series of races on the island.
Arm and leg warmers were the order of the day as the riders got ready to tackle 10 laps of the 11.6-kilometre course.
Team Sky wasted no time in hitting out with Lars-Petter Nordhaug and team debutant Sergio Henao infiltrating a 13-man break around the harbour.
With the gap fluctuating the escapees still held a gap of 45 seconds after five laps at the half-way point of the race.
Pressure from the peloton saw things come back together to set up the inevitable bunch sprint, with Fenn showing a turn of speed which saw him net third at the under-23 World Road Championships last season.
The first of four races which make up the Mallorca Challenge, the action continues on Monday with the Trofeo Migjorn.
