Trofeo Llucmajor: Cat Ferguson opens 2026 account with sprint victory after thrilling wind-affected day

Echelons formed in the final 50km of the 134.8-kilometre race as the story of the day, with UAE ADQ and Movistar each getting five riders respectively into the front split, and it was the Emirati team who managed to keep all five heading into the final 2km.

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Movistar bided their time with Aude Biannic shouldering a mountain of work over the final climb and run for home in Llucmajor, and UAE ADQ’s numeric advantage was no match. Sofie van Rooijen was their top finisher in third.

“The team for sure was the key today, with the wind. The victory would not have been possible without all the girls’ efforts, which was exaggerated even more by the wind,” said Ferguson after celebrating with her teammates.

“100% the team and the team plan were the key. We stayed calm, and we are the ones who made the race, and in the end, I think that tactic paid off.

“Arlenis was my final girl for the lead-out, and I’ve already learned so much from her in one race. She’s really someone I look up to, and she showed me just how to sprint. For sure, the win wouldn’t have been possible without her today.”

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A relatively tame opening first 75km of the race saw little action unfold over the first two laps up the key Randa climb on the route, but that all changed as racing entered the final 50km.

Suddenly, there were big splits opening and the top teams in the race were beginning to flex their muscles as they formed a lead echelon in some heavy wind.

UAE ADQ were looking for more success after winning the opening day of the Challenge Mallorca Femenina with Maeva Squiban on Saturday, and they were in the perfect position to do so after getting five riders into the move: Van Rooijen, Megan Jastrab, Silvia Persico, Eleonora Gasparini and Karlijn Swinkels.

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Joining that quintet were Movistar’s Ferguson, Sierra, Biannnic, Francesca Barale and Tota Magalhães, Coponni and Anna Henderson from Lidl-Trek, the Uno-X Mobility duo Susanne Andersen and Linda Zanetti and Sara Luccon (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo).

As the only Women’s WorldTour team on the start to miss the front group, Human Powered Health had to take up the mantle of chasing behind, with help from the likes of St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93, and on the final lap up to Randa, the gap was closed from as wide as a minute down to under 20 seconds.

But Movistar and UAE ADQ continued to use domestiques in front to keep their chosen leaders for the day in front, and after the descent down from the climb and with the final run for home looming, the gap was back out to 45 seconds.

With a small group sprint almost certain, Ferguson dropped to the back of the group and began saving her energy for the final, where once she launched after being guided perfectly round the final corner, no one could match her top speed.