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Rui Costa stated he had been impressed to modify to the Intermarché-Circus Wanty group after six years with UAE Workforce Emirates, and proved that he made the correct selection by taking victory within the Trofeo Calvia on Wednesday.
The 2013 World Champion out-sprinted Louis Vervaeke (Soudal-Quickstep) and Ben Healy (EF Training-EasyPost) after being on the assault for the ultimate 33km of the 150.1 race.
Healy and Dutch champion Pascal Eenkhoorn (Lotto-Dstny) have been the final survivors of the day’s breakaway on a chilly and soggy slog by the hills round Palmanova, thankfully avoiding the uncommon snow that had fallen within the Sierra Tramuntana.
Riders took care to remain upright on the slick descents after Brandon McNulty (UAE Workforce Emirates), who gained the race final 12 months, was one of many unlucky fallers and didn’t end. They took their time to catch the escapees, with Julian Alaphilippe and three teammates within the 10-rider chase.
On an uncategorized climb earlier than the class 2 Coll de sa Gramola with 33km to go, Costa shot away from the chasing group with Soudal-Quickstep’s Louis Vervaeke because the hole to the 2 leaders started to drop.
The state of affairs remained the identical excessive of the Gramola earlier than the 2 chasers joined Healy and Eenkhoorn on the descent with 22km to go.
Catastrophe practically struck for Costa on a roundabout the place he virtually missed the flip, however his compatriots waited for him to rejoin and, with simply 17.5km to go they nonetheless had 38 seconds on chase group the place Alaphilippe seemed to be controlling the tempo.
Vervaeke launched his transfer with 16km to go because the street levelled off however he was introduced again 3km later primarily by Healy because the chasers languished 50 seconds behind. The surge, nevertheless, succeeded in ejecting Eenkhoorn from the chase.
Vervaeke attacked the leaders for a second time with 10km to go however once more, Costa and Healy reeled him again in. The chasing group, led by Alaphilippe, got here inside seconds of catching the three leaders.
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