Trofeo Serra Tramuntana

Another strong showing from Van Wilder

Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana wasn’t the longest race here in Mallorca, but was by far the hardest, comprising three classified climbs and altitude meters. Having won the previous appointment – Trofeo Ses Salines-Felanitx – with Paul Magnier, our team was again in the spotlight, as soon as the riders exited the neutral zone.

Mattia Cattaneo put in a strong dig at the front as soon as the road went up, snapping the elastic and building a small gap before being joined by two other men. The trio worked well together and stayed off the front for some 50-odd kilometers before being brought back by the peloton on the long flat roads after the intermediate sprint. Another breakaway soon formed, but this too was reeled in, albeit later, on the descent to Coll de Puig Major.

The 14km climb averaging 6% was the longest and toughest of the week, and it was there that the main cracks appeared. Ilan Van Wilder found himself in a chasing group after the Soler, but thanks to a phenomenal effort of Cattaneo and Mauri Vansevenant, he bridged across to the leaders. The Belgian stayed there for a number of kilometers, and even after losing contact after the big attacks came, he continued to ride a solid tempo behind the leading trio.

Van Wilder concluded a solid fifth in Selva – where Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Dstny) took the win – for his second top ten of the week, after the one he got in the opening event of the series, Trofeo Calvia, a morale-boosting result, as he explained at the end of the race: “The uphill start made it really hard, and from then on, it was full gas the entire day. The team did a great race, and I’m thankful for that. It’s only my second race of the season, so to finish again in the top ten, especially after such a tough race, is a good result that gives me a lot of confidence for the next events.”

Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images