Young talents put on a show at Trofeo Calvià as Morgado wins on his birthday

António Morgado (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) celebrated a very happy 22nd birthday by winning an attritional edition of the Trofeo Calvià in Mallorca. The Portuguese rider was the quickest in a mano o mano sprint ahead of Hector Alvarez (Spain), whilst Ånde Hotler (Uno-X Mobility) finished 3rd at 0:40.

The awful conditions were maintained throughout the day in Mallorca, with the riders decked out in their rain gear at the official start, which proved to be a relatively uneventful one as the breakaway of the day was established with ease and maintained an advantage of just over two minutes.

Towards the mid-portion of the race, as soon as the broadcast images were provided, almost on cue, a daring group of riders shot clear from the peloton, those being: Georg Steinhauser (EF-Education Eaypost), Holter, Adrien Boichis (Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe) and Andrea Pietrobon (Team Polti Visit Malta), with Pietrobon dropping towards the final third of the race.

Shortly afterwards, that's when UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider Morgado made his move to bridge across to the front group, with the Portuguese soon joined by young Spanish talent Alvarez, who was riding for the Spanish national team, with his trade team being Lidl-Trek Future Racing. 

With around 20 kilometres to go and after joining the front group, it was Alvarez who launched an attack, with only Morgado able to follow, and it was the duo who stayed away in the final portion of the race to compete for the race victory.

Into the final kilometre, it was Alvarez who was dictating the pace of the duo as a one-versus-one duel awaited in a wicked headwind. Alvarez opened up the taps first, with Morgado instantly latching onto the wheel and overpowering Alvarez into the 100 metres to take a victory on his 22nd birthday.