Tim Wellens wins Trofeo Tramuntana for the fourth time

After 2017, 2018 and 2019, Tim Wellens has won the Trofeo Tramuntana also in 2022. He could hold off Alejandro Valverde in a sprint of a 7-rider breakaway.

Tim Wellens already proved 3 times that the Trofeo Tramuntana suits him perfectly. Therefore the 30-year-old hill specialist showed up at the starting line again this year with great confidence. A 6-man breakaway left early in the race. The Coll Femenis, Coll Orient and Coll Seller made it a tough day and the break was reeled in before the Puig Major, the most difficult climb of the day. There the peloton was smashed into pieces. A group of 7 riders reached the top first, among them was Tim Wellens for Lotto Soudal.

In the downhill there were different attacks, but in the end it all came down to a sprint with 7. Tim Wellens came out of the last corner first and could hold off Alejandro Valverde in the final stretch. After 3 solo victories, the Lotto Soudal rider adds a sprint victory in the Trofeo Tramuntana to his palmares.

“On the Puig Major the pace was very high, but I managed to hold on”, Tim Wellens said right after the finishline. “Afterwards, there were some attacks, but nobody could get away. Because I knew the finish, I knew I had to be first or second after the final turn. I came out first and managed to hold it to the finishline.”

After a fourth place during the first day of this Mallorca Challenge, Tim Wellens skipped the Trofeo Alcudia on Thursday, to get a win on Friday at the Trofeo Tramuntana. “I have felt very good since the moment we started racing here. During training, it might not have been that great, but after I had pinned those first numbers, I have felt very good.”

Photo: Photo News