Remco Evenepoel does not disappoint expectations and, twenty-four hours after winning with his teammates in the team time trial of the Trofeo Ses Salines, immediately climbs back to the top of the podium by impressively winning the Trofeo Serra Tramuntana.

With an attack 56 kilometers from the finish and a second acceleration downhill at 49 kilometers from the finish, the Belgian (at his first appearance in a line race with the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe jersey) dominated the third stage of the Challenge Mallorca, arriving at the finish line with 1'38" over the first chasing group led by Antonio Morgado (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) ahead of Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana) and Mathys Rondel (Tudor Pro Cycling).

For him, expected this year for a new confrontation at the Tour de France with Tadej Pogacar, these are two victories in as many appearances with his new colors, a score that, thanks to already very good condition, in the coming days could potentially be further improved.

THE RACE

With the non-start of Felix Ørn-Kristoff (Lotto-Intermarchè), the riders launch from Selva making the race lively and exciting from the very first kilometers. Many try to attack repeatedly in this initial phase, but it is only towards the Coll de Femenia that Magnus Cort and Martin Tjøtta (Uno-X Mobility), Pablo Castrillo (Movistar), Alex Tolio (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber), Adrià Pericas (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Diego Uriarte (Equipo Kern Pharma) and Ole Theiler (REMBE | rad-net) manage to make the difference by forming the day's breakaway.

Behind them, on the Coll de Puig Mayor, Lorenzo Milesi and Diego Pescador (Movistar), Adrien Boichis, Alexander Hajek, Frederik Wandahl (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Darren Rafferty (EF Education-Easypost) and Felix Engelhardt (Jayco-AlUla) try to get back, but the six, while Theiler loses contact ahead, do not succeed.

The breakaway riders, after this particularly hectic phase, momentarily extend their advantage, but between the end of the descent and the start of the Coll de Soler, the margin drops under the impulse of the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. The progression of the German team clearly aims to prepare Remco Evenepoel's attack, which punctually arrives 56 kilometers from the finish. The Belgian's action not only shatters the group but quickly allows him to return to the head of the race where only Castrillo and a brilliant Pericas can hold his wheel. The trio, led by the native of Aalst, quickly covers the second part of the day's penultimate climb and, cresting with about twenty seconds of advantage, descends decisively.

Here, while the first chasers regroup behind, Evenepoel makes his move, setting irresistible trajectories for everyone and, after dropping first Castrillo and then Pericas, he flies solo with 49 kilometers still to go. Such a distance, obviously, does not scare the Vuelta España 2022 winner who, entering the valley, extends the gap to over thirty seconds from the Spanish duo that has regrouped behind him. The pace of the Iberian pair, however, is significantly slower than that of the ex-Soudal Quick-Step, who thus, 40 kilometers from the finish, has a minute on them and more than 1'20" on the main group.

In the following kilometers, undeterred by what is happening behind him, Evenepoel continues his triumphant march, further widening the gap (1'35" at -30 km, 1'47" at -20km), while behind, after catching Castrillo and Pericas, a rather large group forms where, lacking coordination, many try to escape for a few kilometers without success.

With a well-defined situation, they arrive at the Coll de Sa Battalla, the last mountain of the day where, while Evenepoel can be content to manage his over two-minute lead over the rest of the competition, in the group Thomas Bonnet (TotalEnergies), Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost), Johannes Kulset (Uno-X Mobility), Clement Champoussin and Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana), Antonio Morgado (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Mathys Rondel (Tudor Pro Cycling) manage to gain an advantage.

It is these last three who create a gap from the other four in the final part of the climb, an action that allows them to compete for the podium behind a superb Evenepoel who, after crossing the finish line with his classic celebration, watches a minute and thirty seconds later the sprint where Morgado conquers second place ahead of Scaroni and Rondel.

A few more seconds and the large chasing group arrives, led in the sprint by Andrea Vendrame (Jayco-AlUla) who, with 5th place, completes his fourth top 7 in as many races so far this season. For Scaroni, after his debut victory at the Classica Camp de Morvedre, this is his second podium of 2026, the same number achieved by Evenepoel in just two race days, who, without knowing how to read or write, has chosen to start his year in top gear.

FINISH ORDER

1. Remco Evenepoel (BEL/Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) - 3:34:38

2. António Morgado (POR/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) at 1:38

3. Christian Scaroni (ITA/XDS-Astana) at 1:38

4. Mathys Rondel (FRA/Tudor Pro Cycling) at 1:38

5. Andrea Vendrame (ITA/Jayco-AlUla) at 1:44

6. Felix Grobschartner (AUT/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) at 1:44

7. Lorenzo Rota (ITA/Lotto-Intermarchè) at 1:44

8. Georg Steinhauser (GER/EF Education-EasyPost) at 1:44

9. Fernando Barceló (SPA/Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) at 1:44

10. Clément Champoussin (FRA/XDS-Astana) at 1:44