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Preview

By Paul Goldsmith

The Spanish cycling season gets under way today with the 11th edition of the Challenge Mallorca, which runs until the 7th of February 2002.

Used by teams as a fine tuning event for the forthcoming season, the five stage race includes Spanish teams Kelme, iBanesto.com, ONCE-Eroski, Relax-Fuenlabrada, Euskaltel, and Jazztel-Costa Almeria. The international contingent is represented by Mapei, CSC Tiscali, Telekom and Coast.

The rest of the twenty team entry list is made up of German teams Nurnberger and Gerolsteiner, Dutch teams Rabobank and Batavus, the Portuguese Milaneza, Belgian Domo-Farm Frites, and the Swiss Phonak and, finally, the Russian Itera team.

The early list of favourites has Erik Zabel, top of the UCI table last year as perhaps the man to beat. As he always is. Joining Zabel with pre-race support is Oscar Freire, twice road race world champion. Mallorca is also the first outing for Vuelta winner Angel Casero with Team Coast.

Past winners of the Challenge of Majorca include two time winner Laurent Jalabert (CSC Tiscali and Alex Zuelle (Coast).

One particular oddity of the Challenge is that riders are allowed to race stages even if they haven't completed the previous stage. Obviously they cannot obtain an overall classification, but it ensures that each day's stages are hotly raced.

Past winners

2001 Mathew Hayman (Aus)
2000 Francisco Cabello (Spa)
1999 Jose Luis Rebollo (Spa)
1998 Leon Van Bon (Ned)
1997 Laurent Jalabert (Fra)
1996 Francisco Cabello (Spa)
1995 Alex Zulle (Swi)
1994 David Garcia (Spa)
1993 Laurent Jalabert (Fra)
1992 Javier Murguialday (Spa)

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