Euskadi outperform Euskaltel at Mallorca

Euskaltel were for the second day running second best to their Equipo Euskadi counterparts at leg two of the Mallorca Challenge, the Trofeo Campos, on Monday.

Euskaltel enjoyed a quiet and low-key start to the domestic season in Sunday's Trofeo Palma, while Miguel Madariaga's newly-renamed Equipo Euskadi were active off the front and closer in the final bunch sprint.

That proved to be the case again over Monday's 167,1 kilometres. Neo-professional Jon Larrinaga assured his Euskadi team was once again visible on the screen by forming part of the day's eight-man break, alongside former Euskaltel rider and fans' favourite Amets Txurruka.

Larrinaga even bested Txurruka over the day's categorized climbs to win the mountains competition - in only his second ever race among the pros.

The teams of Dehaes, Farrar, Swift et al. had designs on a sprint finish, though, and they got their wish by reeling in the breakaway artists in good time before the line.

Leigh Howard grabbed the win by out-sprinting Farrar and Movistar's JJ Rojas, while Euskadi's Unai Iparragirre was the best of the two Basque teams in 21st.

Euskaltel's top representatives were Jon Aberasturi and Igor Antón in 30th and 37th respectively, seven seconds down.

Results (full results here):

• (1, Leigh Howard (Orica-GreenEdge), 3:56:24)
• 21, Unai Iparragirre (Equipo Euskadi), s.t.
• 30, Jon Aberasturi (Euskaltel Euskadi), 0:07
• 37, Igor Antón (Euskaltel Euskadi), s.t.
• 45, Steffen Radochla (Euskaltel Euskadi), 0:15
• 56, Haritz Orbe (Equipo Euskadi), s.t.
• 66, Mikel Iturria (Equipo Euskadi), 1:02
• 69, Aritz Bagües (Equipo Euskadi), 1:07
• 70, Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel Euskadi), s.t.
• 71, Juan José Oroz (Euskaltel Euskadi), s.t.
• 113, Mikel Bizkarra (Equipo Euskadi), 3:13
• 130, Mikel Landa (Euskaltel Euskadi), s.t.
• 131, Gorka Verdugo (Euskaltel Euskadi), s.t.
• 132, Illart Zuazubiskar (Equipo Euskadi), s.t.
• 133, Gorka Izagirre (Euskaltel Euskadi), s.t.
• 139, Miguel Minguez (Euskaltel Euskadi), s.t.
• 149, Igor Merino (Equipo Euskadi), s.t.
• 159, Carlos Barbero (Equipo Euskadi), s.t.
• 160, Mikel Aristi (Equipo Euskadi), s.t.
• 174, Jon Larrinaga (Equipo Euskadi), 4:15

Photo: Euskaltel Euskadi