Challenge Mallorca: Brambilla solos to victory in Port de Andratx

Gianluca Brambilla (Etixx-QuickStep) won the second race in the Challenge Mallorca series with a brave solo attack, holding off the peloton by just a few metres after going clear on the last climb of the race from Pollenca to Andratx down the hilly spine of the island.

His former teammate and former world champion Michal Kwiatkowski was second on his debut in Team Sky colours, with Zdenek Stybar (Etixx-Quickstep) completing the podium. Cannondale’s Dylan Van Baarle was fourth and Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo) was fifth, indicating he is on form as begins the final season of his career. Bradley Wiggins was in action with the Great Britain track team but finished in the main peloton some 18 minutes back.

It was only Brambilla’s second victory of his career, coming almost six years after his first win at the GP. Nobili Rubinetterie in Italy.

"This victory is fantastic, especially looking at the podium, where I’m ahead of two world champions and two great friends. I'm very happy,” the Italian rider said.
"My form is good, but not super good. The race was hard. The peloton was reduced down because there had been a lot of attacks. I was riding to set up Trentin but attacked to make the others work. I gave it everything on the last long climb and got away and managed to stay away all the way to the finish.”

“It’s great to win I’m not a rider who wins often. I took my chance. I want to dedicate this win to my girlfriend Cristina, yesterday marked the eighth anniversary of when we first met. It’s a nice present for her as were also expecting baby in May.”

How it happened

The second race in the Challenge Mallorca series was a far hillier affair, starting in Pollenca in the north and climbing several big hills near the north coast before the rolling run to Andratx in the south.

The climbs sparked a first selection after 50km, on the second category Femenies climb. Most teams had riders in there, either riding for themselves or protecting their team leaders. The gap to the peloton grew quickly but then the Lotto Soudal picked up the chase in the hope that Andre Greipel could take a second victory. However the race route was too tough for the German sprinter and the racing too aggressive. The gap came down to less that three minutes but Greipel eventually threw in the towel.

Two final climbs offered a launch pad for attacks and after several failed attempts; Brambilla timed his move well, with other riders hesitant to commit to the chase. His lead was never huge but he fought to stay away and celebrated with his arms in the air –five years after his last victory, as Kwiatkowski and Stybar lead home the remains of the peloton.

Saturday’s third race of the Challenge Mallorca from Soller to Deia is the hardest of the four despite only being 143km long. It includes six tough climbs, including the well-known Coll de Sóller and the Puigmajor, before a final climb in the final kilometres. The series ends on Sunday with a race for the sprinters to Palma.  

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step3:32:23
2Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky0:00:02
3Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 2 - Cell 2
4Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 3 - Cell 2
5Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 4 - Cell 2
6Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek-SegafredoRow 5 - Cell 2
7Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora-Argon 18Row 6 - Cell 2
8Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 7 - Cell 2
9Leopold Konig (Cze) Team SkyRow 8 - Cell 2
10Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar TeamRow 9 - Cell 2
11Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension DataRow 10 - Cell 2
12Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 11 - Cell 2
13Vicente Reynes (Spa) IAM CyclingRow 12 - Cell 2
14Niki Terpstra (Ned) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 13 - Cell 2
15José Herrada (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 14 - Cell 2
16Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Great BritainRow 15 - Cell 2
17Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 16 - Cell 2
18Hugh Carthy (GBr) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:00:10
19Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 18 - Cell 2
20Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky0:00:21
21Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 20 - Cell 2
22Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:00:27
23Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo0:00:49
24Jorge Arcas Pena (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Dayer Quintana (Col) Movistar TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Marcos Jurado (Spa) Spain0:00:54
27Gorka Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar Team0:01:15
28Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step0:01:43
29Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo0:01:46
30Gregor Muhlberger (Aut) Bora-Argon 18Row 29 - Cell 2
31Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal0:02:35
32Imanol Estevez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country0:03:07
33Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 32 - Cell 2
34Matti Breschel (Den) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 33 - Cell 2
35Benat Txoperena (Spa) Euskadi Basque CountryRow 34 - Cell 2
36José Gonçalves (Por) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:03:13
37Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM Cycling0:03:53
38Ivan Balykin (Rus) GM Europa OviniRow 37 - Cell 2
39Vicente Garcia (Spa) Spain0:03:54
40Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 39 - Cell 2
41Enric Mas (Spa) Spain0:03:57
42Ryan Mullen (Irl) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 41 - Cell 2
43Ibai Salas (Spa) Burgos BHRow 42 - Cell 2
44Scott Davies (GBr) Great BritainRow 43 - Cell 2
45Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) FDJRow 44 - Cell 2
46Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek-SegafredoRow 45 - Cell 2
47Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 46 - Cell 2
48Dominik Nerz (Ger) Bora-Argon 18Row 47 - Cell 2
49Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-SegafredoRow 48 - Cell 2
50Stef Clement (Ned) IAM CyclingRow 49 - Cell 2
51Albert Torres (Spa) SpainRow 50 - Cell 2
52Clement Chevrier (Fra) IAM CyclingRow 51 - Cell 2
53Jesus Del Pino (Spa) Burgos BHRow 52 - Cell 2
54Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 53 - Cell 2
55Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJRow 54 - Cell 2
56Hector Saez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:04:03
57David Belda Garcia (Spa) Team RothRow 56 - Cell 2
58Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 57 - Cell 2
59Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto SoudalRow 58 - Cell 2
60Ricardo Vilela (Por) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 59 - Cell 2
61Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek-SegafredoRow 60 - Cell 2
62Laurens De Plus (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 61 - Cell 2
63Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Team RothRow 62 - Cell 2
64Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension DataRow 63 - Cell 2
65Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 64 - Cell 2
66Martin Elmiger (Swi) IAM Cycling0:04:07
67Omar Fraile (Spa) Dimension DataRow 66 - Cell 2
68Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Dimension DataRow 67 - Cell 2
69Oliver Zaugg (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 68 - Cell 2
70Mikel Bizkarra (Spa) Euskadi Basque CountryRow 69 - Cell 2
71David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team SkyRow 70 - Cell 2
72Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 71 - Cell 2
73Loïc Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 72 - Cell 2
74Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 73 - Cell 2
75Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team SkyRow 74 - Cell 2
76Benat Intxausti (Spa) Team SkyRow 75 - Cell 2
77Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Dimension DataRow 76 - Cell 2
78Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek-SegafredoRow 77 - Cell 2
79José Mendes (Por) Bora-Argon 18Row 78 - Cell 2
80Sergei Shilov (Rus) LokosphinxRow 79 - Cell 2
81Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJRow 80 - Cell 2
82Dmitrii Sokolov (Rus) LokosphinxRow 81 - Cell 2
83Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 82 - Cell 2
84Kirill Sveshnikov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 83 - Cell 2
85Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 84 - Cell 2
86Johnathan Dibben (GBr) Great BritainRow 85 - Cell 2
87Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM CyclingRow 86 - Cell 2
88Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ0:07:31
89Lawrence Warbasse (USA) IAM Cycling0:10:51
90Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team SkyRow 89 - Cell 2
91Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 90 - Cell 2
92Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 91 - Cell 2
93Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 92 - Cell 2
94Roland Thalmann (Swi) Team RothRow 93 - Cell 2
95Colin Stüssi (Swi) Team RothRow 94 - Cell 2
96Valentin Baillifard (Swi) Team RothRow 95 - Cell 2
97Iain Paton (GBr) Great BritainRow 96 - Cell 2
98Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Argon 18Row 97 - Cell 2
99Nico Brüngger (Swi) Team RothRow 98 - Cell 2
100Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 99 - Cell 2
101Artur Ershov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 100 - Cell 2
102Oscar Pelegri (Spa) SpainRow 101 - Cell 2
103Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) FDJ0:10:54
104Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team SkyRow 103 - Cell 2
105David Arroyo (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 104 - Cell 2
106Federico Burchio (Ita) GM Europa Ovini0:13:40
107Artem Samolenkov (Rus) Lokosphinx0:16:12
108Alexander Vdovin (Rus) LokosphinxRow 107 - Cell 2
109Eneko Lizarralde (Spa) Euskadi Basque CountryRow 108 - Cell 2
OTLSebastian Mora (Spa) Spain0:18:16
OTLPeio Olaberria (Spa) Euskadi Basque CountryRow 110 - Cell 2
OTLDaniel Bichlmann (Ger) Stradalli-BikeAidRow 111 - Cell 2
OTLArnau Sole (Spa) Burgos BHRow 112 - Cell 2
OTLVadim Zhuravlev (Rus) LokosphinxRow 113 - Cell 2
OTLGiacomo Tomio (Ita) Team RothRow 114 - Cell 2
OTLLorenzo Manzin (Fra) FDJRow 115 - Cell 2
OTLNicolas Baldo (Fra) Team RothRow 116 - Cell 2
OTLNikodemus Holler (Ger) Stradalli-BikeAidRow 117 - Cell 2
OTLJan Barta (Cze) Bora-Argon 18Row 118 - Cell 2
OTLAndrei Solomennikov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 119 - Cell 2
OTLJon Ander Insausti (Spa) Euskadi Basque CountryRow 120 - Cell 2
OTLIgor Boev (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 121 - Cell 2
OTLMarc Sarreau (Fra) FDJRow 122 - Cell 2
OTLLuis Mas Bonet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 123 - Cell 2
OTLPablo Torres (Spa) Burgos BHRow 124 - Cell 2
OTLAnthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 125 - Cell 2
OTLVasilii Neustroev (Rus) LokosphinxRow 126 - Cell 2
OTLAdrian Gonzalez (Spa) Euskadi Basque CountryRow 127 - Cell 2
OTLJérémy Maison (Fra) FDJRow 128 - Cell 2
OTLMamyr Stash (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 129 - Cell 2
OTLAndrey Amador (CRc) Movistar TeamRow 130 - Cell 2
OTLGotzon Udondo (Spa) Euskadi Basque CountryRow 131 - Cell 2
OTLMerhawi Kudus (Eri) Dimension DataRow 132 - Cell 2
OTLIgor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Dimension DataRow 133 - Cell 2
OTLDaniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension DataRow 134 - Cell 2
OTLAlexander Serov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 135 - Cell 2
OTLAmanuel Mengis (Eri) Stradalli-BikeAidRow 136 - Cell 2
OTLIllart Zuazubiscar (Spa) SpainRow 137 - Cell 2
OTLSergey Vdovin (Rus) LokosphinxRow 138 - Cell 2
OTLJulio Amores (Spa) SpainRow 139 - Cell 2
OTLYves Lampaert (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 140 - Cell 2
OTLStijn Devolder (Bel) Trek-SegafredoRow 141 - Cell 2
OTLAndre Gonçalves (Por) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 142 - Cell 2
OTLBradley Wiggins (GBr) Great BritainRow 143 - Cell 2
OTLAndrew Tennant (GBr) Great BritainRow 144 - Cell 2
OTLDmitrii Strakhov (Rus) LokosphinxRow 145 - Cell 2
OTLAndrey Sazanov (Rus) GM Europa OviniRow 146 - Cell 2
OTLJose Marquez (Spa) GM Europa Ovini0:22:26
OTLRoman Maikin (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 148 - Cell 2
OTLAntonio Di Sante (Ita) GM Europa OviniRow 149 - Cell 2
OTLFilippo Fortin (Ita) GM Europa OviniRow 150 - Cell 2
OTLAlex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar TeamRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFAndré Greipel (Ger) Lotto SoudalRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFJurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFAlexey Kurbatov (Rus) Gazprom-RusveloRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFTimo Schäfer (Ger) Stradalli-BikeAidRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFJoschka Beck (Ger) Stradalli-BikeAidRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFDominik Merseburg (Ger) Stradalli-BikeAidRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFMatthias Schnapka (Ger) Stradalli-BikeAidRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFPatrick Lechner (Ger) Stradalli-BikeAidRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFJuan Carlos Riutort (Spa) Burgos BHRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFAlvaro Robredo (Spa) Burgos BHRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFVictor Martin (Spa) Burgos BHRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Lopez (Spa) Burgos BHRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFAndrea Di Renzo (Ita) GM Europa OviniRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFAndrea Ruscetta (Ita) GM Europa OviniRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFOwain Doull (GBr) Great BritainRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFChristopher Lathan (GBr) Great BritainRow 167 - Cell 2
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Mountain 1-Coll De Femenias (Cat. 2) km. 50
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Imanol Estevez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country10pts
2Marcos Jurado (Spa) Spain7Row 1 - Cell 3
3Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal5Row 2 - Cell 3
4Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA3Row 3 - Cell 3
5José Mendes (Por) Bora-Argon 182Row 4 - Cell 3
6Sergei Shilov (Rus) Lokosphinx1Row 5 - Cell 3
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Mountain 2-Coll Des Grau (Cat. 3), km. 112.6
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal6pts
2Imanol Estevez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country4Row 1 - Cell 3
3Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits2Row 2 - Cell 3
4Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team1Row 3 - Cell 3
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Mountain 3-Coll De Galilea (Cat. 3), km. 121.1
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal6pts
2Gorka Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar Team4Row 1 - Cell 3
3Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step2Row 2 - Cell 3
4Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky1Row 3 - Cell 3
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Sprint 1-Pollença, km. 35.7
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Imanol Estevez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country3pts
2Julio Amores (Spa) Spain2Row 1 - Cell 3
3Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale Pro Cycling1Row 2 - Cell 3
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Sprint 2-Esporles, km. 103.7
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale Pro Cycling3pts
2Imanol Estevez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country2Row 1 - Cell 3
3Julio Amores (Spa) Spain1Row 2 - Cell 3
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Special sprint 1-Lloseta, km. 72
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Imanol Estevez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country3pts
2Johnathan Dibben (GBr) Great Britain2Row 1 - Cell 3
3Marcos Jurado (Spa) Spain1Row 2 - Cell 3
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Special sprint 2-Paguera, km. 133.8
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale Pro Cycling3pts
2Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo2Row 1 - Cell 3
3Gorka Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar Team1Row 2 - Cell 3
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Etixx - Quick-Step10:37:13
2Movistar Team0:00:02
3Team Sky0:00:21
4Bora-Argon 180:02:05
5Trek-Segafredo0:02:33
6Lotto Soudal0:03:00
7Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:03:21
8Cannondale Pro Cycling0:06:12
9IAM Cycling0:07:48
10Great Britain0:08:02
11Dimension Data0:08:08
12Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:08:10
13Spain0:08:41
14Euskadi Basque Country - Murias0:10:17
15FDJ0:11:57
16Team Roth0:18:53
17Lokosphinx0:24:22
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Mountains classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Imanol Estevez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country14pts
2Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Soudal11Row 1 - Cell 3
3Marcos Jurado (Spa) Spain7Row 2 - Cell 3
4Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal6Row 3 - Cell 3
5Gorka Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar Team4Row 4 - Cell 3
6Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA3Row 5 - Cell 3
7Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step2Row 6 - Cell 3
8Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits2Row 7 - Cell 3
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Sprint classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Imanol Estevez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country5pts
2Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale Pro Cycling4Row 1 - Cell 3
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Special sprint classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Imanol Estevez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country3pts
2Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale Pro Cycling3Row 1 - Cell 3
3Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo2Row 2 - Cell 3
4Johnathan Dibben (GBr) Great Britain2Row 3 - Cell 3
5Marcos Jurado (Spa) Spain1Row 4 - Cell 3
6Gorka Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar Team1Row 5 - Cell 3
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Combination classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Imanol Estevez (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country4pts
2Marcos Jurado (Spa) Spain3Row 1 - Cell 3
3Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale Pro Cycling3Row 2 - Cell 3
4Gorka Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar Team3Row 3 - Cell 3
5Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step2Row 4 - Cell 3
6Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal2Row 5 - Cell 3
7Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team2Row 6 - Cell 3
8Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA2Row 7 - Cell 3

 

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Stephen Farrand
Head of News

Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.

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