Freire claims first season win in Mallorca

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Óscar Freire (Rabobank) earned his first win of 2010 today at the Trofeo Cala Millor, the second stage of the Challenge Mallorca. The three-time world champion bested André Greipel (HTC-Columbia) and Manuel Cardoso (Footon-Servetto) in the field sprint concluding the 172.4km stage.

"To win the second race of the season is a nice feeling, but we must not exaggerate," said Freire. "I'm not much better than last year around this time. What is very nice is the feeling within the team. The lead-outs by Tom Leezer were excellent today and Sunday. Today was so smooth nothing could go wrong."

Unlike the first day of racing where breakaway attempts were never given much freedom, a five-man break went clear early in the Trofeo Cala Millor and built up a lead of more than six minutes. Luis Mas (Burgos Monumental), David Deroo (Skil-Shimano) and Ronan Van Zandbeek (Van Vliet EBH Elshof) went clear of the peloton after eight kilometres of racing followed six kilometres later by Manuel Ortega (Andalucia-Cajasur) and Andoni Blazquez (Orbea).

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When the two chasers caught the leading trio at kilometre 23 to form a five-man breakaway their advantage stood at 4:37 over the peloton. Only four kilometres later their lead ballooned out to 6:37, which would be their largest gap to the peloton.

At kilometre 59 the quintet's lead fell to 4:40, but soon grew back to 5:38 after 86 kilometres were completed.

The teams of the sprinters began to get organized at the front of the peloton and steadily reduced the break's lead. With 72 kilometres remaining their lead fell to 3:40 and with 35 kilometres to the finish the quintet's advantage stood at 1:27.

With 30 kilometres to the finish Ronan Van Zandbeek attacked his breakaway companions and built a 15-second lead. The remaining four escapees were swept up by the peloton with 21 kilometres remaining in the stage and Van Zandbeek, too, was absorbed by the field 15 kilometres from the finish.

The pace at the front of the peloton remained high, splitting the field six kilometres from the finish. In the dash to the line an on-form Óscar Freire (Rabobank), third on the opening stage, proved too fast for the rest of the sprinters taking out his first win of 2010.