The Challenge Vuelta Ciclista a Mallorca (English: Tour of Majorca, Catalan: Challenge Volta Ciclista a Mallorca) is a series of four (five until 2012) professional one day road bicycle races held on the Spanish island of Mallorca in late January or early February. The event is used as an early season preparatory event by many of the top teams in readiness for the bigger races later in the season. The five races are ranked 1.1 on the UCI Europe Tour.
 | |
| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | Early February |
| Region | Majorca, Spain |
| English name | Tour of Majorca |
| Local name(s) | Volta a Mallorca (in Catalan) Vuelta a Mallorca (in Spanish) |
| Discipline | Road |
| Competition | UCI Europe Tour |
| Type | One-day |
| Web site | vueltamallorca |
| History | |
| First edition | 1992 |
| Editions | 33 (as of 2024) |
| First winner |  Javier Murguialday (ESP) |
| Most wins | Francisco Cabello (ESP) (3 wins) |
| Most recent | Antonio Colom (ESP) (2009, no overall winner classification since) |
Although the race styles itself as the "Tour of Majorca" it has never been allowed to be classed as a multi day stage race by the sports governing body the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) because the race rules allows riders not to participate on certain days. However, there is an unofficial overall classification winner taken on total time over five days. This laid back attitude by the race organisers makes the race popular with team managers who can bring a large squad (sometimes as many as 20 riders) and interchange them over the five days. Apart from the overall classification. there are the usual Mountains, Points and Sprints competitions associated with any stage race. There is also a competition for the top Majorcan based rider; in the past this has been won by Vicente Reynès, Antonio Colóm and Antonio Tauler.
The first day of racing is the Trofeo Mallorca, a criterium around the streets of Palma. The second day is the Trofeo Cala Millor, sometimes called the Trofeo Alcúdia. These two opening days are run over a fairly flat course and result in a sprint finish. The Trofeo Pollença (day three) and Trofeo Sóller (day four) are contested over a more hilly course using the climbs of the Col de Sóller (501 metres) and the Col de Puig Major (850 metres) amongst others on the route. These two hilly days usually decide the outcome of the unofficial overall classification over the five days. The final days racing is the Trofeo Calvià which takes place on an undulating course over a series of small climbs.
Top class riders such as Laurent Jalabert, Alex Zülle and Alejandro Valverde have won the overall classification at the Vuelta a Mallorca; Spanish rider Francesco Cabello, who rode for the Kelme team throughout his career, holds the record for the most victories, taking three overall victories in Majorca in 1996, 2000 and 2002. In 2004 Colóm became the first rider who was a native of the island of Majorca to take the overall classification.
The Vuelta a Mallorca receives heavy sponsorship from Tourism section of the local Majorcan government (Govern de la Illes Balears). The race was first held in 1992 and for the first three years was just open to Spanish teams, however in 1995 foreign squads were invited for the first time with teams such as Telekom and TVM attending. In 1998 Léon van Bon of the Dutch Rabobank squad became the first overall winner riding for a non Spanish team.
General Classification Winners
edit| Year | Country | Rider | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Spain
|
Javier Murguialday | Lotus–Festina |
| 1993 |  France
|
Laurent Jalabert | ONCE |
| 1994 | Spain
|
David Garcia Marquina | Banesto |
| 1995 |  Switzerland
|
Alex Zülle | ONCE |
| 1996 | Spain
|
Francisco Cabello | Kelme–Artiach |
| 1997 | France
|
Laurent Jalabert | ONCE |
| 1998 |  Netherlands
|
Léon van Bon | Rabobank |
| 1999 | Spain
|
José Luis Rebollo | ONCE–Deutsche Bank |
| 2000 | Spain
|
Francisco Cabello | Kelme–Costa Blanca |
| 2001 |  Australia
|
Mathew Hayman | Rabobank |
| 2002 | Spain
|
Francisco Cabello | Kelme–Costa Blanca |
| 2003 | Spain
|
Alejandro Valverde | Kelme–Costa Blanca |
| 2004 | Spain
|
Antonio Colom | Illes Balears–Banesto |
| 2005 | Spain
|
Alejandro Valverde | Illes Balears–Banesto |
| 2006 | Spain
|
David Bernabeu | Comunidad Valenciana |
| 2007 | Spain
|
Luis León Sánchez | Caisse d'Epargne |
| 2008 |  Belgium
|
Philippe Gilbert | Française des Jeux |
| 2009 | Spain
|
Antonio Colom | Team Katusha |
Individual Race Winners
edit| Year | Trofeo Palma de Mallorca | Trofeo Alcúdia | Trofeo Calvià | Trofeo Manacor | Trofeo Sóller |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 |  Kenneth Weltz (DEN)
|
Alfonso Gutiérrez (ESP)
|
Neil Stephens (AUS)
|
Alfonso Gutiérrez (ESP)
|
Juan Carlos González (ESP)
|
| 1993 |  Asiat Saitov (RUS)
|
Alfonso Gutiérrez (ESP)
|
Federico Echave (ESP)
|
Laurent Jalabert (FRA)
|
Laurent Jalabert (FRA)
|
| 1994 | Joan Llaneras (ESP)
|
Asier Guenetxea (ESP)
|
Alfonso Gutiérrez (ESP)
|
José Ramón Uriarte (ESP)
|
Ángel Edo (ESP)
|
| 1995 |  Adriano Baffi (ITA)
|
Jeroen Blijlevens (NED)
|
Beat Zberg (SUI)
|
Samuele Schiavina (ITA)
|
Laurent Jalabert (FRA)
|
| 1996 | Jeroen Blijlevens (NED)
|
Goder De Leeuw (NED)
|
Francisco Cabello (ESP)
|
Federico Colonna (ITA)
|
Francisco Cabello (ESP)
|
| 1997 |  Erik Zabel (GER)
|
Peter Van Petegem (BEL)
|
Tom Steels (BEL)
|
Hendrik Van Dijck (BEL)
|
Laurent Jalabert (FRA)
|
| 1998 | Erik Zabel (GER)
|
 Jeremy Hunt (GBR)
|
Tom Steels (BEL)
|
Elio Aggiano (ITA)
|
Tom Steels (BEL)
|
| 1999 | Jeroen Blijlevens (NED)
|
Claus Michael Møller (DEN)
|
Francisco Cabello (ESP)
|
Mario Cipollini (ITA)
|
Mario Cipollini (ITA)
|
| 2000 | Óscar Freire (ESP)
|
Robbie McEwen (AUS)
|
Elio Aggiano (ITA)
|
Paolo Bettini (ITA)
|
Francisco Cabello (ESP)
|
| 2001 | Erik Zabel (GER)
|
Michael Boogerd (NED)
|
Robbie McEwen (AUS)
|
Erik Zabel (GER)
|
Mathew Hayman (AUS)
|
| 2002 | Isaac Gálvez (ESP)
|
Igor Flores (ESP)
|
Erik Dekker (NED)
|
Óscar Freire (ESP)
|
Óscar Freire (ESP)
|
| 2003 | Isaac Gálvez (ESP)
|
Allan Davis (AUS)
|
Remmert Wielinga (NED)
|
Isaac Gálvez (ESP)
|
 Alexandre Usov (BLR)
|
| 2004 | Allan Davis (AUS)
|
Óscar Freire (ESP)
|
 Unai Etxebarria (VEN)
|
Allan Davis (AUS)
|
Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
|
| 2005 | Óscar Freire (ESP)
|
Óscar Freire (ESP)
|
Antonio Colom (ESP)
|
Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
|
Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
|
| Year | Trofeo Palma de Mallorca | Trofeo Cala Millor | Trofeo Calvià | Trofeo Pollença | Trofeo Sóller |
| 2006 | Isaac Gálvez (ESP)
|
Isaac Gálvez (ESP)
|
David Kopp (GER)
|
David Bernabeu (ESP)
|
Paolo Bettini (ITA)
|
| 2007 | Óscar Freire (ESP)
|
Vicente Reynès (ESP)
|
Unai Etxebarria (VEN)
|
Thomas Dekker (NED)
|
Antonio Colom (ESP)
|
| 2008 | Philippe Gilbert (BEL)
|
Graeme Brown (AUS)
|
Gert Steegmans (BEL)
|
José Joaquín Rojas (ESP)
|
Philippe Gilbert (BEL)
|
| Year | Trofeo Palma de Mallorca | Trofeo Cala Millor | Trofeo Calvià | Trofeo Pollença | Trofeo Inca |
| 2009 | Gert Steegmans (BEL)
|
Robbie McEwen (AUS)
|
Gerald Ciolek (GER)
|
Daniele Bennati (ITA)
|
Antonio Colom (ESP)
|
| Year | Trofeo Palma de Mallorca | Trofeo Cala Millor | Trofeo Deià | Trofeo Magaluf-Palmanova | Trofeo Inca |
| 2010 | Robbie McEwen (AUS)
|
Óscar Freire (ESP)
|
 Rui Costa (POR)
|
André Greipel (GER)
|
Linus Gerdemann (GER)
|
| 2011 | No winner[Note 1] |  Tyler Farrar (USA)
|
José Joaquín Rojas (ESP)
|
 Murilo Fischer (BRA)
|
Ben Hermans (BEL)
|
| Year | Trofeo Palma de Mallorca | Trofeo Migjorn | Trofeo Deià | Trofeo Pollença | Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana |
| 2012 | Andrew Fenn (GBR)
|
Andrew Fenn (GBR)
|
 Lars Petter Nordhaug (NOR)
|
Not raced[Note 2] | Cancelled[Note 3] |
| Year | Trofeo Palma de Mallorca | Trofeo Campos | Trofeo Deià | Trofeo Platja de Muro | Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana |
| 2013 | Kenny Dehaes (BEL)
|
Leigh Howard (AUS)
|
Not raced | Leigh Howard (AUS)
|
Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
|
| Year | Trofeo Palma | Trofeo Ses Salines | Trofeo Deià | Trofeo Muro-Port d'Alcúdia | Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana |
| 2014 | Sacha Modolo (ITA)
|
Sacha Modolo (ITA)
|
Not raced | Gianni Meersman (BEL)
|
 Michał Kwiatkowski (POL)
|
| Year | Trofeo Santanyi-Ses Salines-Campos | Trofeo Andratx – Mirador d'Es Colomer | Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana | Trofeo Playa de Palma | Not raced since |
| 2015 | Matteo Pelucchi (ITA)
|
Steve Cummings (GBR)
|
Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
|
Matteo Pelucchi (ITA)
| |
| Year | Trofeo Felanitx-Ses Salines-Campos-Porreres | Trofeo Pollenca-Port de Andratx | Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana | Trofeo Playa de Palma | |
| 2016 | André Greipel (GER)
|
Gianluca Brambilla (ITA)
|
Fabian Cancellara (SUI)
|
André Greipel (GER)
| |
| Year | Trofeo Porreres-Felanitx-Ses Salines-Campos | Trofeo Andratx – Mirador d'Es Colomer | Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana | Trofeo Playa de Palma | |
| 2017 | André Greipel (GER)
|
Tim Wellens (BEL)
|
Tim Wellens (BEL)
|
Daniel McLay (GBR)
| |
| Year | Trofeo Porreres-Felanitx-Ses Salines-Campos | Trofeo Andratx – Mirador d'Es Colomer | Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana | Trofeo Playa de Palma | |
| 2018 | John Degenkolb (GER)
|
 Toms Skujiņš (LAT)
|
Tim Wellens (BEL)
|
John Degenkolb (GER)
| |
| Year | Trofeo Ses Salines-Campos-Porreres-Felanitx | Trofeo Andratx Lloseta | Trofeo de Tramuntana Soller-Deia | Trofeo Palma | |
| 2019 | Jesús Herrada (ESP)
|
Emanuel Buchmann (GER)
|
Tim Wellens (BEL)
|
Marcel Kittel (GER)
| |
| Year | Trofeo Felanitx-Ses Salines-Campos-Porreres | Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana | Trofeo Pollença – Port d'Andratx | Trofeo de Playa de Palma – Palma | |
| 2020 | Matteo Moschetti (ITA)
|
Emanuel Buchmann (GER)
|
Marc Soler (ESP)
|
Matteo Moschetti (ITA)
| |
| Year | Trofeo Calvià | Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana | Trofeo Andratx – Mirador d'Es Colomer (Puerto Pollença) | Trofeo Alcúdia – Port d'Alcúdia | |
| 2021 |  Ryan Gibbons (RSA)
|
Jesús Herrada (ESP)
|
 Winner Anacona (COL)
|
André Greipel (GER)
| |
| Year | Trofeo Calvià | Trofeo Alcúdia – Port d'Alcúdia | Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana | Trofeo Pollença – Port d'Andratx | Trofeo Playa de Palma |
| 2022 | Brandon McNulty (USA)
|
 Biniam Girmay (ERI)
|
Tim Wellens (BEL)
|
Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
|
Arnaud de Lie (BEL)
|
| Year | Trofeo Calvià | Trofeo Ses Salings - Alcúdia | Trofeo Andratx – Mirador d'Es Colomer (Puerto Pollença) | Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana | Trofeo Palma |
| 2023 | Rui Costa (POR)[1]
|
Marijn van den Berg (NED)[2]
|
Kobe Goossens (BEL)[3]
|
Kobe Goossens (BEL)[4]
|
Ethan Vernon (GBR)[5]
|
| Year | Trofeo Calvià | Trofeo Ses Salines-Felanitx | Trofeo Serra Tramuntana | Trofeo Pollença - Port d'Andratx | Trofeo Palma |
| 2024 | Simon Carr (GBR)[6]
|
Paul Magnier (FRA) [7]
|
Lennert Van Eetvelt (BEL)
|
Pelayo Sánchez (ESP)
|
Gerben Thijssen (BEL)
|
- Notes
- ^ The race, won by Tyler Farrar, is not officially recognized by the UCI because of a large protest from riders.
- ^ Event reduced to 4 single-day races in 2012 due to financial problems.
- ^ Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.
References
edit- ^ Weislo, Laura (25 January 2023). "Rui Costa wins Trofeo Calvia, the Challenge Mallorca opener". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
- ^ Weislo, Laura; Tyson, Jackie (26 January 2023). "Marijn van den Berg wins day two of Challenge Mallorca at Trofeo Port d'Alcúdia". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
- ^ Weislo, Laura (27 January 2023). "Goossens charges across Mallorca for victory at Trofeo Andratx". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
- ^ Stuart, Peter (28 January 2023). "Kobe Goossens wins stormy Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana at Challenge Mallorca". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
- ^ Stuart, Peter (29 January 2023). "Ethan Vernon wins Trofeo Palma, Challenge Mallorca finale". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
- ^ Ostanek, Daniel (24 January 2024). "Carr outsprints Vlasov to win the Challenge Mallorca - Trofeo Calvià". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ Ryan, Barry (25 January 2024). "Paul Magnier makes perfect start to pro career at Trofeo Ses Salines-Felanitx". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 26 January 2024.