Arnaud De Lie wins Trofeo Playa de Palma-Palma

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Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Soudal) recorded his first career victory in only his third race day as a pro rider after sprinting to victory at the Trofeo Playa de Palma-Palma.

The 19-year-old Belgian beat Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates) and Sasha Weemaes (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) in a reduced sprint finish on the final day of the Challenge Mallorca.

A crash in the final five kilometres saw a reduced group come to the line on a day expected to produce a mass sprint among the peloton. Big hitters like Giacomo Nizzolo (Israel-Premier Tech) and Michael Matthews (BikeExchange-Jayco) finished among the front group but it was De Lie who proved quickest in the dash to the line.

The highly rated De Lie came up through Lotto Soudal's development squad and took five major wins at U23 level last year, including two stages of the Tour d'Alsace and the overall classification at the Tour of South Bohemia.

How it unfolded

A sprint finish was always likely to cap off the race, with the terrain of the 169.1-kilometre route flatter than the previous four days of the Challenge Mallorca. Centred around the Mallorcan capital of Palma, the major difficulties of the day were two third-category climbs, though the final 25 kilometres were pan-flat.

Nevertheless, a breakaway ventured out from the peloton regardless, with Ander Okamika (Burgos-BH) joined in the hopeful move by Sergio Roman Martín (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Xabier Azparren (Euskatel-Euskadi), and Isaac Cantón (Manuela Fundación Continental).

Back in the peloton it was UAE Team Emirates and Trek-Segafredo – for sprinter Matteo Moschetti – who did the bulk of the work on the front, limiting the gap and eventually dragging the four-man break back before the finish.

No moves came on the final climb of the day – the Coll de San Creu (9.1km at 3.2 per cent), though some did try to sneak off on the finishing circuit around Palma, with Euskaltel-Euskadi and Caja Rural-Seguros RGA among the teams sending men off the front.

A crash in the final kilometres disrupted what looked like being a fairly standard sprint day, causing a split at the front and leaving a smaller group than expected to contest the finish, with just 29 making it through. From there it was De Lie who had the strength to cross the line first, beating a cluster of far more experienced racers to take victory.