Portuguese rider Rui Costa (Caisse d'Epargne) won the Trofeo Deià, the fourth round of the Challenge Mallorca, today. The 23-year-old, who won the Four Days of Dunkerque last year, beat Mallorcan local Joan Horrach (Team Katusha) in a two-up sprint to take his the first win of the season. The two riders escaped with 25km to go, along with Estonian Rein Taaramäe (Cofidis), who was then dropped on the last climb, 6km from the finish.
The race started without the rain of yesterday, but with low temperatures and snow on the high pass of Puig Major. At the first climb, after 7km, the peloton split into three pieces, it regrouped on the descent and stayed together over the Coll de Femenies. On the ascent of Puig Major there were a number of attacks, notably from Alexandre Botcharov (Katusha), Eros Capecchi (Footon-Servetto) and Taaramäe, but none were successful.
It was on the descent that local rider Horrach instigated the winning move, taking Costa and Taaramäe with him. The Estonian was dropped on the final third category climb and the Portuguese proved to be the stronger of the two riders at the finish, taking the win 2 seconds clear. Josè Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne) led the peloton home 7 seconds behind the winner.
Trofee Deià Results:
1. Rui Alberto Costa Faria (Por) Caisse d'Epargne
2 Joan Horrach (Esp) Team Katusha @2”
3 Josè Ivan Gutierrez (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne @7”
4 Aitor Perez (Esp) Footon Servetto
5 Josè Rojas (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne