Fiona Mangan (Winspace Orange Seal) has brushed off a crash, and facial wound, from her first race of the season to get up the road in Spain today.
The Irish champion was part of a 13-rider group that led the way for most of the 129.5km Trofeo Palma Femina (1.1) in Mallorca, putting in a performance that suggests she has wintered well and is ready for the challenges to come.
Mangan's group had almost two minutes in hand on the peloton by the time the first hour of racing was done and before any of the day's climbs were reached. Those ascents included: the 5.8km Coll Grau after 103.4, the 6.7km Coll de Sa Creu after 120km, with a 1.8km kicker, at 3.4 per cent, to the finish.
At the intermediate sprint in Palmanyola with 85.8km completed, the breakaway had split, with Océane Mahé (Arkéa - B&B Hotels Women) pushing on solo to take the points. She was chased by Mangan and Renée van Hout (VELOPRO-Alphamotorhomes CT) at 20 seconds.
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After Mangan took 2nd at the sprint, some 50 seconds ahead of the remains of the breakaway, Mahé reached the base of the first climb alone. However, the remains of the breakaway, and then the lone leader, were swept at that point, and just as the final proper began.
The decisive moment came on the final climb when Marlen Reusser (Movistar) and Mavi García (Team Spain) got clear of the peloton and made it to the finish in Castell de Bellver; Reusser winning from García.
The race split into small groups in pursuit of the breakaway riders, with Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) finishing 3rd at 40 seconds. Mangan, who crashed on Saturday and suffered a minor facial wound, was 61st at 6:56.
Aoife O'Brien, the 21-year-old making her debut with DAS-Hutchinson this week in Mallorca finished in 67th, in a group at 9.09.
