Rider report: Challenge Mallorca Race 1

Racing for the Under 23 Memil Pro Cycling team, British rider Ollie Morgan is looking to find his feet in the pro peloton – here’s his report of the race on Thursday (Jan 30)

Rider report: Challenge Mallorca Race 1

Ollie writes, “Trofeo Felanitx, part of Challenge Majorca 2020, was my first chance to race a UCI 1.1 with some of the top World Tour guys. It has also been great for Memil Pro Cycling and I’m most grateful for the opportunity to get this experience. I’m the only British guy in the Swedish based Continental team, riding in their newly established Under 23 set up, but have settled in well.

My aim in race 1 of the series was to just get to the finish for the 170 kilometre stage and stay out of trouble, as it is all a big learning curve for me. The stage started fast but settled down once the breakaway was established and I was able to relax a little. Being so early in the season, I was a little apprehensive about my fitness, having spent a fair bit of the winter working to save for 2020.

I completed a nice three week training block out here prior to the race, so I’m where I’d like to be to hit the start of the season well and looking to still develop progressively in the years to come. I’ve never really been warm-weather training before so didn’t take it for granted one bit!

Once the break began to be reeled in, I was dropped from the peloton in the last 15km, but still finished nicely a few minutes down. It was brilliant to share the same roads with some high calibre riders, such as Valverde and Ackermann and all I can do is learn!

Overall, it was an enjoyable introduction to racing in the Pro Peloton, and get some good speed in the legs to work towards the coming season. I hope to come back and race the National Champs during the summer and make something happen there.

Having raced in Belgium in 2019, I’m not really a rider on the radar in the UK. I will be starting in the next three races of Challenge Majorca and will just do my best. The mountain days will be hard for sure, so I will just try and survive, or show myself early in the race. Being as there is only seven riders entered from the team, we are all starting each of the four stages which for me is a great positive providing maximum learning time with some of the best riders in the world.”