Irish cyclist Philip Deignan has gotten his 2018 season underway with Team Sky and has ridden strongly on the first climbs of the season. Today’s race, above, in Mallorca was won by Tim Wellens of Lotto Soudal.
Philip Deignan enjoys strong start to 14th pro season
Now in his 14th season as a professional cyclist and his fifth with Team Sky, Philip Deignan has shown some early season form in Spain.
The 34-year-old was among the finishers in the undulating Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana (1.1) in Mallorca.
The 140km event split to pieces on the climbs; with the strongest men surging ahead.
And behind the quality breakaway the peloton was reduced to little more than 30. In the end Deignan took 19th place at 6:37.
Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) took victory in a two-up sprint from Deignan’s team mate Gianni Moscon.
And in just his second race of the season, and following a crash-related lay-off since the opening day of the Tour de France last July, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) rounded out the podium.
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The top three were in a breakaway that proved uncatchable once it had broken clear late in the day.
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Also in the winning move were Gregor Mühlberger (Bora-hansgrohe) and Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo).
The final 30km is the most testing in this second race, of four, of the Mallorca Challenge.
And while an early breakaway pulled clear, it was pegged back just in time for the fireworks on that final testing section of the course.
The breakaway rode hard over the late climbs of the Sa Batalla, Puig Major and concluding Deia ascent.
And once Moscon was up the road, Deignan’s work was done for the day.
However, he was still present when the field whittled down to just over thirty and then split further on the final ascent to the finish.
His placing may not exactly be one for the ages; but on a wet and hilly early season outing it suggested he has wintered well.
A top 20 placing was a very decent result considering just 55 riders finished, with eight outside the time limit and 63 abandoning.
In the opening race of the Mallorca Challenge yesterday – the 178km Trofeo Campos, Porreres (1.1) – Deignan placed 84th.
The race was won in a bunch sprint by John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo). Philip Deignan was in that peloton.
He came home 39 seconds down as the peloton split in the final push to the line and many riders opted out of the sprint.
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