Trofeo Migjorn

Euskaltel and Orbea both put their mark on today's second Challenge Mallorca race, the Trofeo Migjorn. The former through aggressive, late-race moves; the latter through Jon Aberasturi's solid sprinting.

The orange team lined up with this nine-man selection: Antón, Astarloza, R Pérez, Verdugo, García, Landa, G Izagirre, Sicard and Urtasun. The course was a tad hillier than yesterday's - and therefore more to the team's liking. Astarloza and Gorka Izagirre both made bold moves inside the last 20 kilometres after the day's three-man break had been caught, but the sprinters' teams weren't about to let them escape with the glory and duly pulled them back without too much trouble. While the team was left with no tangible result to show for their efforts in terms of top placings, Izagirre at least finished second in the mountain competition. Everyone bar Landa and Izagirre, who came in 37 seconds and 1:19 adrift respectively, finished up safe and sound inside the peloton.

Orbea put out Aberasturi, Bagües, Barbero, Bizkarra, Etxebarria, Fraile, Merino and Zuazubiskar, and young Aberasturi, who enjoyed a breakthrough season last year, grabbed a fine eighth place at the end, besting riders like Rojas and Bennati in the process. Results:

• 8, Aberasturi, 0:00
• 87, Bagües, s.t.
• 107, Merino, s.t.
• 132, Fraile, 0:37
• 134, Etxebarria, s.t.
• 160, Barbero, 4:37
• 164, Zuazubiskar, 6:56
• 173, Bizkarra, 9:21

Up tomorrow is the taxing 151km Trofeo Deía - including six categorized climbs.