Challenge Mallorca, 5 x Cat 1.4

Spain, February 7-11, 1999

Other Stages

Stage 1, Palma - Palma, Criterium, 10 x 8 km laps, 80 kms:

Dutchman Jeroen Blijlevens (TVM), started his 1999 season by winning a tight sprint at the Gran Premio de Palma, first race of 5 races which comprise the Challenge Mallorca 1999. The race was contested over an 8 kms sea-side parcours. 10 laps for 80 kms was the requirement. In a spectacular finish, the Dutch sprinter finished ahead of Belgian Tom Steels and Super Mario Cipollini. The race had the major sprinters present - Cipollini, Zabel, Steels. McEwen and Blijlevens - and their teams worked hard to control the race and set the finale up for the mass showdown.

A total of 187 riders from seventeen teams lined up for the Spanish season opener. Notable absentees were Abraham Olano and German Jan Ullrich (both who are training on the Island). ALso training on Mallorca but unable to race until May are Alex Zülle, Laurent Dufaux and Laurent Brochard.

The race was very active with many young riders and teams without the big sprinters working hard to show themselves early in the season. But the strong squads kept it all fairly tight. There were several punctures and a few minor crashes involving Swiss riders Moos and Renglin and the Spaniard Medina. The disruption caused a break to occur in the peloton.

The first team to really play their hand was the Dutch Rabobank squad who were setting Australian Robbie McEwen up for the finale. Saeco were hot on their trail as was Mapei and then Telekom. The TVM team were barely involved in the race at this stage. But when it mattered they put Blijlevens in the slot and he did the rest with an astute and very fast display in the windup. 

  1. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites                      1.45.56 (45.312)
  2. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
  3. Mario Cipollini (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
  4. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Rabobank
  5. Erik Zabel (Ger) Telekom
  6. Francesco Arazzi (Ita) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips
  7. Marcel Wust (Ger) Festina
  8. Stefano Verziagi (Ita) Fuelabrada
  9. Manuel Sanroma (Spa) Fuelabrada
 10. Elio Aggiano (Ita) Vitalicio Seguros
 11. Rik Reinerink (Ned) Batavus
 12. Marco Gili (Ita) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips
 13. Igor Flores Galarza (Spa) Euskatel-Euskadi
 14. Steven De Jongh (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites
 15. Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
 16. Matthé Pronk (Ned) Rabobank
 17. Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
 18. BertHiemstra (Ned) Rabobank
 19. Roberto Lochowski (Ger) Team Nürnberger
 20. Angel Vicioso (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
 21. Stefano Zanini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
 22. William Chann McRae (USA) Mapei-Quick Step
 23. David Etxebarria (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
 24. Marco Gili (Ita) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips
 25. José Luis Rebollo (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
 26. André Korff (Ger) Festina
 27. Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Festina
 28. Dirk Baldinger (Ger) Telekom
 29. Andreas Klier (Ger) TVM-Farm Frites
 30. Martin Van Steen (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites
 31. Wilfried Peeters (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
 32. Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
 33. Leif Hoste (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
 34. Andreas Klöden (Ger) Telekom
 35. Jan Schaffrath (Ger) Telekom
 36. Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
 37. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites                           0.14
 38. LeonVan Bon (Ned) Rabobank                                      0.14
 39. Roberto Petito (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                           0.21
 40. Giuseppe Calcaterra (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                      0.21
 41. Alberto Elli (Ita) Telekom                                      0.21
 42. Mario Scirea (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                             0.42
 43. Santos Gonzalez (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                        0.42
 44. Luis Perez (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                             0.50
 45. Laurent Madouas (Fra) Festina                                   0.50
 46. Victor Hugo Pena (Col) Vitalicio Seguros                        0.50
 47. Christian Van Dartel (Ned) Team Nürnberger                      0.50
 48. Orlando Rodrigues (Por) Banesto                                 0.50
 49. J.José De Los Angeles (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                  0.50
 50. Javier Pascual (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                         0.50
 51. Eleuterio Anguita (Spa) Fuenlabrada                             0.50
 52. Victor Moratilla (Spa) Fuenlabrada                              0.50
 53. Roberto Sierra (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                         0.50
 54. Isidro Nozal (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                           0.50
 55. Francisco Cabello (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                      0.50
 56. José Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                 0.50
 57. Mikel Artetxe (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                           0.50
 58. Kees Jeurissen (Ned) Batavus                                    0.50
 59. Gatzka Lejarreta (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                       0.50
 60. Unai Osa (Spa) Banesto                                          0.50
 61. Guido Wirz (Swi) Post Swiss Team                                0.50
 62. Txema Del Olmo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                          0.50
 63. José Angel Vidal (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                       0.50
 64. Toni Tauler (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                            0.50
 65. Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                          0.50
 66. Eduardo Hernandez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                      0.50
 67. Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                             0.50
 68. Roland Müller (Swi) Team Nürnberger                             0.50
 69. Nacor Burgos (Spa) Fuenlabrada                                  0.50
 70. Inigo Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                         0.50
 71. Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Banesto                                 0.50
 72. Santiago Blanco (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                         0.50
 73. Jaime Hernandez (Spa) Festina                                   0.50
 74. Simone Campagnari (Ita) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips               0.50
 75. Andrea Peron (Ita) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                           0.50
 76. ErikDekker (Ned) Rabobank                                       0.50
 77. Fabian Jeker (Swi) Festina                                      0.50
 78. Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank                                    0.50
 79. Francisque Teyssier (Fra) Festina                               0.50
 80. Javier Pascual (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                         0.50
 81. Claus Michael Moller (Den) TVM-Farm Frites                      0.50
 82. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites                            0.50
 83. Bert Dietz (Ger) Team Nürnberger                                0.50
 84. Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Telekom                                  0.50
 85. Andres Bermejo (Spa) Fuenlabrada                                0.50
 86. Cesar Perez (Spa) Fuenlabrada                                   0.50
 87. Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi                         0.50
 88. Ibon Ajuria (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                             0.50
 89. JanBoven (Ned) Rabobank                                         0.50
 90. Bart Voskamp (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites                              0.50
 91. Jan Hordijk (Ned) Team Nürnberger                               0.50
 92. Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                        0.50
 93. Renger Ijpendburg (Ned) Batavus                                 0.50
 94. Saul Morales (Spa) Fuenlabrada                                  0.50
 95. Igor Gonzalez (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                           0.50
 96. Felix M. Garcia Casas (Spa) Festina                             0.50
 97. Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Festina                                   0.50
 98. Alexander Kastenhuber (Ger) Team Nürnberger                     0.50
 99. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Rabobank                                    0.50
100. Franz Hotz (Swi) Festina                                        0.50
101. Inaki Barrenechea (Spa) Fuenlabrada                             0.50
102. Manuel Fernandez (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step                         0.50
103. Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank                                     0.50
104. Angel Luis Casero (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                       0.50
105. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis                                    0.50
106. Johan Museeuw (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step                            0.50
107. Armand De Las Cuevas (Fra) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips            0.50
108. Joseba Beloki (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                           0.50
109. Jon Odriozola (Spa) Banesto                                     0.50
110. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                      0.50
111. Daniele De Paoli (Ita) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips                0.50
112. Jose Manuel Uria (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                       0.50
113. Isaac Villanueva (Spa) Fuenlabrada                              0.50
114. Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                           1.18
115. Hernan Buenahora (Col) Vitalicio Seguros                        1.33
116. Matthijs Van Bon (Ned) Batavus                                  1.33
117. Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                   1.33
118. Inigo Cuesta (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                           1.33
119. Michel Cerneus (Ned) Batavus                                    1.33
120. Dariusz Baranowski (Pol) Banesto                                1.33
121. Steve De Wolf (Bel) Cofidis                                     1.48
122. Marcel Renggli (Swi) Post Swiss Team                            1.48
123. David Latasa (Spa) Banesto                                      1.48
124. Eugeni Berzin (Rus) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips                   1.48
125. Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Mapei-Quick Step                             1.54
126. Patrice Halgand (Fra) Festina                                   1.54
127. Amilcare Tronca (Ita) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips                 1.54
128. Bjarne Riis (Den) Telekom                                       1.54
129. Martijn Lust (Ned) Batavus                                      1.54
130. Giuseppe Di Grande (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                       1.54
131. Roberto Heras (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                          1.54
132. Olivier Asmaker (Fra) TVM-Farm Frites                           1.54
133. Marcelino Garcia (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                       1.54
134. Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips               1.54
135. Alessandro Varocchi (Ita) Costa Almeria-Amica Chips             1.54
136. Raphael Schweda (Ger) Team Nürnberger                           1.54
137. Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Rabobank                               1.54
138. Gianni Faresin (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step                           1.54
139. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites                         1.54
140. Cesar Solaun (Spa) Banesto                                      1.54
141. Geert Van Bondt (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites                           1.54
142. Jörn Reuss (Ger) Team Nürnberger                                1.54
143. David Garcia (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                            1.54
144. Angel Castresana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                        1.54
145. Dario Andriotto (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                          1.54
146. Mike Weissmann (Ger) Team Nürnberger                            1.54
147. Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                        2.15
148. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                       2.35
149. Alessio Galletti (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                         2.35
150. Christian Charriere (Swi) Post Swiss Team                       4.14
151. Paul Van Schalen (Ned) Batavus                                  4.14
152. Marcel Strauss (Swi) Post Swiss Team                            4.14
153. Mikel Pradera (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                           4.22
154. Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                          4.22
155. Frank Schinck (Ger) Team Nürnberger                             4.22
156. Rolf Jaermann (Swi) Post Swiss Team                             4.22
157. Aitor Kintana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                           4.22
158. Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Post Swiss Team                        4.22
159. Pietro Zucconi (Swi) Post Swiss Team                            4.22
160. John Talen (Ned) Batavus                                        4.22
161. Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) Telekom                                  4.22
162. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) Telekom                                 4.22
163. Pedro Diaz (Spa) Fuenlabrada                                    4.26
164. German Nieto (Spa) Fuenlabrada                                  4.26
165. Danilo Hondo (Ger) Telekom                                      4.29
166. Francesco Frattini (Ita) Telekom                                4.29
167. Pieter Vries (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites                              4.32
168. Patrick Vetsch (Swi) Post Swiss Team                            4.34
169. José Garcia vicente (Spa) Banesto                               4.54
170. Miguel Angel Pena (Spa) Banesto                                 4.54
171. José Maria Jimenéz (Spa) Banesto                                4.54

Meta Volantes Sprint 1, km 16:

  1. Rudi Kemna (Ned) Batavus                                           3
  2. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                          2
  3. Jan Hordijk (Ned) Team Nürnberger                                  1

Meta Volantes Sprint 2, km 48

  1. Rudi Kemna (Ned) Batavus                                           3
  2. Andreas Klier (Ger) TVM-Farm Frites                                2
  3. Mike Weissmann (Ger) Team Nürnberger                               1

Special Sprint 1, km 32:

  1. John Talen (Ned) Batavus                                           3
  2. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Rabobank                                       2
  3. Frank Schinck (Ger) Team Nürnberger                                1

Special Sprint 2, km 64:

  1. John Talen (Ned) Batavus                                           3
  2. Frank Schinck (Ger) Team Nürnberger                                2
  3. Christian Van Dartel (Ned) Team Nürnberger                         1

Other Classifications after Stage 1: 

Teams:

  1. Rabobank                                                    5.17.48
  2. Costa Almeria-Amica Chips                                   5.17.48
  3. TVM-Farm Frites                                             5.17.48
  4. Mapei-Quick Step                                            5.17.48
  5. Festina                                                     5.17.48
  6. ONCE-Deutsche Bank                                          5.17.48
  7. Telekom                                                     5.17.48
  8. Saeco-Cannondale                                            5.18.09
  9. Fuenlabrada                                                 5.18.38
 10. Vitalicio Seguros                                           5.18.38
 11. Kelme-Costa Blanca                                          5.19.28
 12. Euskaltel-Euskadi                                           5.19.28
 13. Team Nürnberger                                             5.19.28
 14. Batavus                                                     5.19.28
 15. Banesto                                                     5.20.18
 16. Post Swiss Team                                             5.24.40

Meta Volantes Sprints:

 1. Andreas Klier (Ger) TVM-Farm Frites                                2
 2. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale                          2
 3. Jan Hordijk (Ned) Team Nürnberger                                  1
 4. Mike Weissmann (Ger) Team Nürnberger                               1

Special Sprints:

 1. John Talen (Ned) Batavus                                           5
 2. Frank Schink (Ger) Team Nürnberger                                 3
 3. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Rabobank                                       2
 4. Christian Van Dartel (Ned) Team Nürnberger                         1

As it happened summary

10.50: 186 riders leave for the 80 kms (10 lap criterium)

Lap 1:

Peloton riding peacefully.

Lap 2:

km 10: 2 kms into the 2nd lap, the peloton accelerates after the first attempt to escape.

km 16: Metas Volantes Sprint (end of lap 2) 

 1. Rudi Kemna (Ned) Batavus			28.30
 2. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
 3. Jan Hordijk (Ned) Team Nürnberger

Lap 3:

km 16-24: Peloton grouped

Lap 4:

Special Sprint 

 1. John Talen (Ned) Batavus
 2. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Rabobank
 3. Frank Schink (Ger) Team Nürnberger

Lap 5:

km 40 passes - half-way

Lap 6:

1st Metas Volantes Sprint 

 1. Rudi Kemna (Ned) Batavus
 2. Andreas Klier (Ger) TVM-Farm Frites
 3. Mike Weissmann (Ger) Team Nürnberger

MV leader: Rudi Kemna (Ned) Batavus
Lap 7:

1.17.45 has gone as they went under the banner. The pace is now fast and the peloton is stretched right out but no-one can make any escape.

Lap 8:

2nd Special Sprint: 

 1. John Talen (Ned) Batavus
 2. Frank Schink (Ger) Team Nürnberger
 3. Christian Van Dartel (Ned) Team Nürnberger

Special Sprint Leader: John Talen (Ned) Batavus

Lap 9:

Peloton is grouped and complete.

Lap 10 (Final Lap):

The big teams now come to the fore and the pace is high. The peloton cracks under the strain put on by Saeco-Cannondale particularly, who are intent on setting Mario Cipollini up for the sprint. 

 1. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites	1.45.56
 2. Tom Steels (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step
 3. Mario Cipollini (Ita) Saeco-Cannondale
Thanks to UniSport Consulting, Race Organisers for complete daily results