An exciting fight awaits us when the starting signal for the Challenge Peguera-Mallorca is fired early this Saturday. A strong field heads to the Spanish island for the race, not only for the win, but for one of the last opportunities to earn valuable points towards the $125,000 Challenge Family Pro Athlete World Bonus.
Heldoorn or Long - Who will take the lead in World Bonus?
The Spaniard Pablo Dapena Gonzalez is the favorite for the men. He has a home field advantage and therefore knows the conditions on the island perfectly. Challenge Peguera-Mallorca is a test track with significant elevation gain on the bike and (to a lesser extent) on the run. Perhaps Dapena Gonzalez's biggest competitor is young Dutchman Niek Heldoorn.
Heldoorn won Challenge Malta earlier this year and recently finished second at the Challenge Almere-Amsterdam European Long Distance Championship. Young and eager, Heldoorn is currently second in the Challenge Family World Bonus; only Sam Long is in front of him. But if Heldoorn finishes first or second in Mallorca, he will take the lead in the World Bonus standings and Long will need to finish in the top six at December's Clash Daytona to reclaim his pole position. With $25,000 for first place, the stakes are high!
Outside of the World Bonus race, 48 professional men are looking to make their mark at Challenge Peguera-Mallorca, including William Mennesson (FRA), recently runner-up at Challenge Sanremo, Lukas Kocar (CZE), Victor Arroyo Burgallo (ESP), Jonas Hoffman (GER ), Sam Wade (GBR), Thomas Navarro (FRA) and Thomas Bishop (GBR).
Strong starting field for women
The women's race is also strong and on paper Imogen Simmonds (SUI) seems to be the favorite of the 25 starters. She finished second in Mallorca last year, behind her is compatriot Nicola Spirig. Strong competition for Simmonds comes from Fenella Langridge (GBR), who competes just a week after finishing sixth in Kona, and from Sara Pérez Sala (ESP). Pérez Sala, like Dapena Gonzalez, enjoys home field advantage and it is certain that the locals will turn out en masse to give their compatriots vigorous support.
But Langridge has a lot to lose, she too currently holds the top spot in the World Bonus and needs to finish in the top five if she is to prevent Pérez Sala, who is currently second, from taking the top spot with a win. Further down the world bonus, Lucy Byram (GBR) and Margie Santimaria (ITA) both have opportunities to add to their season-ending wins with a strong showing at Mallorca.
