Challenge Mallorca: Race 1

Trek-Segafredo kicked off their European season with the same class as Down Under as young Italian sprinter Matteo Moschetti exploited first class teamwork to win the first day of the four-day Challenge Mallorca Thursday.

Challenge Mallorca: Race 1

“Alexander Kamp did a real good job to control the race, and then, in the end, all the guys were amazing,” said an elated Moschetti. “They started with (Alex) Kirsch, (Quinn) Simmons, Ryan (Mullen), Jasper (Stuyven), and then Emils (Liepins) was a perfect lead-out. The victory of today, I have to say thank you to all the guys because they were perfect, and I just finalized their work.”

The Trofeo Felanitx, Ses Salines, Campos, Porreres expected to finish in a bunch sprint, and the team took early initiative in the 170-kilometer race with another new face to the team this year, Dane Alexander Kamp, putting in some hard miles in keeping the breakaway in check.

… continued after advert

The team’s plan was two-fold: Jasper Stuyven was to go for a late flyer with Moschetti ready for the sprint if that did not pan-out, but when the race wound up in the final kilometers, Stuyven, instead, was prominent on the front.

“In the end, Jasper decided to go for the lead-out, and a big thanks to him because he took a good decision for me and also for the team,” pointed out Moschetti.

The team made a thorny finish smooth for Moschetti, leading the young Italian fastman through a roundabout and last two corners.

“The final was tricky with the two last corners, and also the roundabout, but like I said, the guys did a perfect job – really perfect. We are a strong team, and today we proved this,” added Moschetti.

“To start the season with a win means a lot for me because last year it was not easy. I had two bad crashes, so I want to prove, first to myself, and then to all the people that I am at a good level and I can win some races, so…,” his voice trailed off, then he added, smiling, “I am really happy.”

Result
1 Matteo Moschetti Trek – Segafredo 03:41:29
2 Pascal Ackermann Bora – Hansgrohe
3 Jon Aberasturi Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
4 Enrique Sanz Unzue Equipo Kern Pharma
5 Andrea Pasqualon Circus – Wanty Gobert
6 Emils Liepins Trek – Segafredo
7 Tom Van Asbroeck Israel Start-Up Nation
8 Nacer Bouhanni Team Arkéa – Samsic
9 Manuel Penalver Burgos – BH
10 Vyacheslav Kuznetsov Gazprom – RusVelo

26 Alex Colman Canyon DHB p/b Soreen
36 Connor Swift Team Arkéa – Samsic
51 Alejandro Valverde Movistar Team
61 Jacob Scott Canyon DHB p/b Soreen
78 Robert Scott Canyon DHB p/b Soreen
88 Alex Paton Canyon DHB p/b Soreen
97 Ryan Mullen Trek – Segafredo
99 Max Stedman Canyon DHB p/b Soreen
146 Jacob Hennessy Canyon DHB p/b Soreen
147 Albert Torres Movistar Team