Challenge Mallorca 2024 (January 24-28)

[Devil's Elbow]

Time to get the dedicated race threads going this season.

Disclaimer: I have significantly less free time this year, so I won’t be doing as many race OPs anymore. But that’s a matter for the thread planning thread.

Startlists
Team selections
Trofeo Calvià
Trofeo Ses Salines - Felanitx
Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana
Trofeo Pollença - Port d’Andratx
Trofeo Palma

Schedule
Broadcast a.o. Eurosport/Discovery+ and Teledeporte
Trofeo Calvià: starts at 12:10, broadcast starts at 15:00, finish expected between 15:55 and 16:20
Trofeo Ses Salines - Felanitx: starts at 11:45, broadcast starts at 15:00, finish expected between 15:57 and 16:10
Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana: starts at 12:10, broadcast starts at 15:00, finish expected between 15:55 and 16:06
Trofeo Pollença - Port d’Andratx: starts at 12:00, broadcast starts at 15:00, finish expected between 15:57 and 16:10
Trofeo Palma: starts at 10:30, broadcast starts at 12:45, finish expected between 13:59 and 14:09

Useful links
Roadbook
Race Twitter/X

The route

Wednesday, January 24: Trofeo Calvià

Exactly the same route as last year, when Rui Costa Costa’d his way to victory. On these roads, an elite group usually forms on the bigger climbs (or their descents) early on, then in the final hour, once the peloton is out of the picture, the attacks come.

Spoiler: Climbs

Coll des Cocons

Coll des Tords

Coll des Grau

Coll den Claret (final 5.0k only)

Coll de Sóller

Coll den Bleda + Can Costa

Coll den Claret (final 4.5k only)

Torre del Verger

Es Grau + Coll de sa Gramola

Coll de sa Coma + Coll de n’Esteve

Thursday, January 25: Trofeo Ses Salines - Felanitx

For the first time since 2020, there are two out-and-out sprints. Yes, the finale looks slightly uphill on the profile, but with that KOM only being 1k at 3.3%, it should come as no surprise that the remainder of the ‘drag’ averages less than 1%. In fact, the final kilometre is slightly downhill (at about 1%) with a big turn at just under 500 metres to go, so expect a hectic finish.

Friday, January 26th: Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana

The big day for the climbers. For the first time, a race finishes at the sanctuary in Lluc, meaning Puig Major - the biggest climb in Mallorca, which had one of its two planned outings cancelled due to snow last year - comes with just 20k to go this time round. However, with the final descent ending at 200 metres from the line, that may not be where the race is won…

Spoiler: Climbs

Coll Sa Batalla

Coll de Sóller

Puig Major

Descent (right to left) + minor drags - as far as the junction to Lluc at the 18k marker

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Saturday, January 27th: Trofeo Pollença - Port d’Andratx

Did you like the second half of Wednesday’s race? Well, then you’ll like this one too, because the section from the start of Coll den Bleda until the bottom of the final descent was used there as well. In other words, expect a similar race scenario, although this one should suit the climbers just a bit better.

Spoiler: Climbs

Coll de Femeniás + Puig Major

Coll den Bleda + Can Costa

Coll den Claret (final 4.5k only)

Torre del Verger

Es Grau + Coll de sa Gramola

Sunday, January 28th: Trofeo Palma

As ever, the Mallorcan series end with a sprint in the capital, on a circuit centred around the big ugly highway that separates the city centre from the coast. As ever, that means there’s a big U-turn pretty late, this time just before the flamme rouge (as opposed to at 500 metres to go like last year).

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

The workers of the Balearic Islands council will be busy on Friday night, adding an extra 18m to the height of the Coll de Puig Major.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

The workers of the Balearic Islands council will be busy on Friday night, adding an extra 18m to the height of the Coll de Puig Major.

Guessing that the reason for the height discrepancy is that the final 400 metres of the side they ascend on Friday are in a tunnel and that they've put the KOM before said tunnel as a result.

 

[Berniece]

This is the real start of the season for me because I can watch it live. TDU is too early

 

[pman]

Any idea how to watch this in the USA? It says it's on the B/R Sport add on but I can't find it anywhere

 

[ManicJack]

What local broadcast is the race on for those of us who are going to try watching with VPN?

 

[scribers]

I’ll be darned if these races are mentioned in the MAX BR webpage as upcoming live events. There is no mention of them in the app.

 

[Rob5091]

Thanks for starting the thread!

 

[ice&fire]

What local broadcast is the race on for those of us who are going to try watching with VPN?

Local broadcast here, starting at 15:00 CET:

Ciclismo: Challenge Mallorca masculina, en directo | Etapa 1

Sigue en directo la primera etapa del Trofeo Calviá de la Challenge Ciclista Mallorca masculina. Disfruta de todo el deporte, en RTVE Play

www.rtve.es

 

[Rob5091]

Looks like the weather should be good all week, 20 C and no rain.
Young Beloki at EF, Herzog at Bora and Lenny VE at Lotto are ones I'll keep an eye out for. For a winner I'd go for McNulty.

 

[Berniece]

For a winner I'd go for McNulty.

Definitely a contender. Didn’t he win one of them in 2022?

I’m mostly looking forward to Ilan Van Wilder

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Definitely a contender. Didn’t he win one of them in 2022?

I’m mostly looking forward to Ilan Van Wilder

He won this very race in 2022, actually, by over a minute. Albanese was third that day, also one to watch here.

 

[Tim Cahill]

I believe Herzog had some sort of injury that stopped him riding for extended periods last season?

It will be interesting to see how he does and if he is over his problems as I remember him being lethal in 2022.

 

[Berniece]

Decent 2nd group behind early attackers with Soler, McNulty and Vlasov

 

[Remy55]

I believe Herzog had some sort of injury that stopped him riding for extended periods last season?

It will be interesting to see how he does and if he is over his problems as I remember him being lethal in 2022.

He had water in his heart.

 

[Samamba]

Decent 2nd group behind early attackers with Soler, McNulty and Vlasov

"decent" that's a bit of an understatement

The favorites basically. They won't see them again.

 

[Potomac]

Just tuned in. Predictions about the break?

 

[Earns1985]

peleton already 01:45 behind. So Vlasov, McNulty and Carr will do it..

 

[Potomac]

Group 3 is 2 minutes back, so i guess they are out of it.

 

[Potomac]

Is McNulty letting his facial hair go?

 

[Potomac]

He looks like a character from a US civil war movie.

 

[Potomac]

Bettiol....why are you taking a turn!

 

[nightowl]

Bettiol doing his best to drag Aranburu up to the front for……..reasons?

 

[Potomac]

Does Bettiol really dislike simon carr for some reason?