Magdeleine Vallieres solos to Trofeo Palma Femina victory

Magdeleine Vallieres (EF Education-Cannondale) soloed to victory at the Trofeo Palma Femina after she forged clear on the descent of the Coll de Sa Creu.

The Canadian delivered EF’s second win in as many days at the Challenge Mallorca Femenina after she fended off chasers Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Mavi García, who was racing for the Spanish National Team.

Moolman-Pasio won the sprint for second place ahead of Garcia, both at 16 seconds down from the day's winner, while Marta Lacha (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team)  won the sprint for fourth place ahead of a reduced chase group at 51 seconds back.

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Trofeo Palma Femina marked the second of three races at the Challenge Mallorca held from January 20-22. The women's field raced 138.2km from Palma and back, on a route that started out flat but ended with three major climbs and an uphill to the finish line.

Marieke de Groot (Proximus-Cyclis) was the early attacker who gained 40 seconds on the field in the opening flatter sections of the course, but she was caught by the peloton within the first 35km.

There were several more short-lived breaks after attacks from teams Eneicat-CM, ASD K2, Spanish National Team, Top Girls Fassa Bortolo, and Hess Cycling, which all animated the early to mid-sections of the race.

Elisa De Vallier (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) and Clara Lundmark (Hess Cycling Team) formed a two-rider breakaway that stuck with 100km to go, and the pair gained more than two minutes ahead of the first ascent; Colle den Claret (10,9km at 3%).

AG Insurance-Soudal set the pace from the main field, with help from Laboral-Kutxa, reeling in the breakaway with 40km to go.

Gracia set the pace on the second climb of the day, Coll Grau (5.8km at 3.3%), reducing the field over the top. 

Vallieres and Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) surged off the front, later joined by Garcia, Erica Magnaldi and Karlijn Swinkels (both UAE Team ADQ).

With one ascent to go, Coll de sa Creu (6.7km at 6%), the peloton split apart, with Moolman-Pasio joining the head of the race.

Vallieres surged and opened a gap on her rivals in the closing seven kilometres and maintained her lead over the final climb Castell de Bellver (1.8km à 4.1%), crossing the line with the victory 16 seconds ahead of Moolman-Pasio and Garcia.

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