Thalita De Jong (Human Powered Health) celebrates the win(Image credit: Getty Images)
The peloton rolls out to start the race(Image credit: Getty Images)
Riders in the early stages of the day(Image credit: Getty Images)
A rear view of the Challenge Mallorca peloton(Image credit: Getty Images)
Marlen Reusser (Movistar) leads the way(Image credit: Getty Images)
The peloton chases the breakaway(Image credit: Getty Images)
Nikola Noskova (Cofidis) at the head of a move(Image credit: Getty Images)
The peloton races through the Mallorca hills(Image credit: Getty Images)
The breakaway out front(Image credit: Getty Images)
Reusser leads Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) and Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility)(Image credit: Getty Images)
The peloton descends the penultimate climb of the day(Image credit: Getty Images)
Uno-X Mobility lead the way towards the finish(Image credit: Getty Images)
Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) attacks in the final(Image credit: Getty Images)
Thalita De Jong (Human Powered Health) shot to victory in the final race of the Challenge Mallorca Femenina, the Trofeo Binissalem-Andratx, leaving behind Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) on the steep slopes of the Port d'Andratx.
The Dutchwoman came from behind on the final climb of the 107.5km race after Kerbaol launched her bid for victory 1.5km out. De Jong came across 700 metres later before leaving the Frenchwoman behind with 400 to go.
There was no answer to De Jong's move, leaving the 31-year-old to celebrate the 11th win of her career. Kerbaol faded to third place the run to the line, with Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) nipping past late on to score second place, 13 seconds down.
Further back, Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility) secured fourth place at 21 seconds after her team had done much of the pacemaking on the lead-in to the climb. Mavi García (Spain) landed fifth place, 26 seconds down.
Earlier on in the day, García had been the biggest victim as crosswinds split the peloton apart. She was in form having finished second in the Trofeo Palma on Sunday and was forced to chase back on.
Up front, a strong group of around 20 riders formed, with top names including Trofeo Palma winner Marlen Reusser (Movistar) as well as the podium trio all making the cut. The group wouldn't stick out front, though, and García wouldn't stay out the rear, either. Just inside the 30km to go mark, everything was back together.
The regrouping came in time for the major obstacles of the day in the shape of the late hills, including the Coll de sa Gramola and the closing climb in Andratx. A thinning group headed up the Gramola, with only around 25 at the front of the race.
Claire Steels (Movistar) led the way over the top following attacks on the climb by Lily Williams (Human Powered Health) and Eleonora Gasparrini (UAE Team ADQ), while Kerbaol, Persico, and García tried to jump on the way down the descent.
Kerbaol and Persico briefly went clear before they were brought back, at which point Uno-X Mobility took over the pacemaking on the road into the final climb. 10 seconds off the rear, Reusser and several Movistar teammates were working to chase back on, but they wouldn't make it in time for the climb, leaving the front group to contest the win.
On the 1.7km, 9.4% climb to the line, it was Uno-X Mobility who set up the action, but it was Kerbaol who attacked first. She hit out 200 metres into the test, immediately getting a gap on her rivals. Behind her, the group thinned out as the best climbers emerged.
It was De Jong who proved the strongest of the chase, making a solo move to bridge across. She joined Kerbaol 800 metres from the line and immediately took to the front to set the pace. At 400 to go, Kerbaol had nothing left to give, and so it was De Jong who powered clear to score the victory.
Kerbaol was metres away from hanging on to second place before a resurgent Persico sped past at the death to come through for second place, nipping the Frenchwoman by a solitary second at the line.
Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, she had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur. She writes and edits at Cyclingnews as well as running newsletter, social media, and how to watch campaigns.
