Mallorca: Fischer Wraps it Up in Style

Another surprise sprint. It's been an unpredictable and exciting week of racing in Mallorca. And why not one more surprise?

Brazilian Murilo Fischer took the Trofeo Magaluf in a bunch sprint after beating some of the "household-name" sprinters on the final stretch. Fischer is a strong rider so it's not much of a surprise to see him win but the surprise is that he (or anyone else) was in position to do so.

I laughed yesterday when I thought about the possibility of a sprint. With 4 cat 2s and one tricky cat 3 at the end it seemed impossible that the field would even be together at the finish let alone with sprinters present.

I guess that's just a testament to the sprint teams in early season form and some of the breakaway specialists not quite in shape yet.

That certainly was the case for Philippe Gilbert, who tried an attack on the final descent but was pulled back by the peloton. They did let him get the initial move but he just couldn't get any separation. It's early February. In mid-April one of 2 things happen in the same scenario: Either the field marks him right away or he wins the stage.

But he's got time to get into shape. And certainly not alone. Of all the riders that started the race, only 106 were able to get to the finish line.

But even if you had a bad week on the track, it's hard to say that it wasn't an enjoyable week in Mallorca. Beautiful Spanish countryside, nice crowds, and a much more relaxed atmosphere than most classics are some characteristics that makes this race so popular for many riders.
Speaking of early season form, check out the entire squad of Garmin-Cervelo. Won a stage and the overall title in Australia, 2 stages and a chance at GC in Qatar, and 3 of the 5 races in Mallorca.

In fact, Garmin-Cervelo directeur Jonathan Vaughters playfully tweeted:
"For a second there I thought we might not win a race today... [referring to Haussler not winning in Qatar] Good thing I was wrong! Murilo Fischer in Mallorca! The Brazilian waxed 'em!"

Confident bunch down there, and for good reason.

Final Podium
1. Murilo Fischer
2. Oscar Freire
3. Jose Joaquin Rojas