Mallorca Challenge: Degenkolb wins Trofeo Palma

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John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) sprinted to victory in the Trofeo Palma on Sunday to make it two wins from two at the Challenge Mallorca series and a perfect start to the 2018 season. 

The German, who had triumphed on Thursday in the Trofeo Campos-Porreres-Felanitx-Ses Salines, was again convincing winner in a bunch sprint in Palma, where Erik Baska (Bora-Hansgrohe) finished second and Coen Vermeltfoort (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij) third. 

Degenkolb chose to sit out Friday and Saturday's hillier outings at the Mallorca Challenge and therefore has two victories from the two races he's started this year. For the Trek-Segafredo team as a whole it has been a successful week and start to the season, with new signing Toms Skujins winning on Saturday to ensure they leave with three of the four 'Trofeos' in the bag. 

"I am so happy. I think it's the first time I have won the first two races in a season, that's a first for me," said Degenkolb. "To have this feeling, which I missed so much last year and now I have it already twice… It's so nice to be in the winning line again."

The team certainly oozed confidence as they took responsibility in the peloton to set up Degenkolb's victory. The 160km route, starting and finishing in Palma, was always likely to culminate in a sprint, with just one categorised climb on the menu - the Coll de sa Creu after 120km.

It might have spelled danger for Degenkolb as he punctured on the approach, but he was able to get back in without any issues. The peloton then split shortly after the descent but Degenkolb and Trek were safely in the first group for the finishing lap and, despite Lotto Soudal showing their intentions for Moreno Hofland, they made no mistake. 

The day had begun with an early breakaway containing Fabricio Ferrari (Caja Rural), Ibai Salas (Burgos-BH), Enrico Logica (Biesse-Carrera-Gavardo), Txomin Juaristi (Fundación Euskadi), Viktor Filutas (Pannon), and Julio Amores (Spain). They quickly established a led of more than five minutes but it wasn't long before Trek-Segafredo and Lotto Soudal set about reducing the deficit, bringing it down to just 2:30 after 45km of racing. 

With the gap just over a minute, the peloton split briefly after 70km but once calm was restored the escapees were allowed to build their advantage once again. The climb, however, spelled curtains. Logica and Filutas were the first to go, and the race was back together over the summit. 

Ferrari had claimed both intermediate sprints and Juaristi the KOM, but the day belonged to Degenkolb.

"We showed again we were the strongest team in the race," said the German. "In the leadout, we picked the right moment to come to the front, and I only had to do the last 200 meters, so that was for me super nice and I am so happy. This victory is definitely a team victory - for all of us. We took the responsibility and we got the reward for it." 

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