Human Powered Health once again begins its European campaign on the Balearic Isle of Mallorca from January 24 through 26.
Challenge Mallorca is a three-day race series. Three separate races with no general classification just occurring concurrently. This year packs in the hills with an uphill finish at the Trofeo Palma Femina, rolling Trofeo Palma Femina and medium mountains of Trofeo Binissalem-Andratx, the race in which Thalita de Jong scored her first victory for the team last year.
The entire team – bar the athletes in Australia – has been on the island all week for a training camp and has a pool of athletes from which make a seven-rider roster each day, including local rider Yurani Blanco. She is joined for the races by Giada Borghesi, Thalita de Jong, Marta Jaskulska, Jente Koops, Wiktoria Pikulik, Titia Ryo, Kathrin Schweinberger, and Silvia Zanardi.
Challenge Mallorca Race by Race
Trofeo Marratxi-Felanitx
1/24
Route: Marratxí – Felanitx (Puig de Sant Salvador)
Distance: 128.8 km
Parcours: Uphill finish
Look out for: The potential for wind earlier in the stage
What matters: It’s all about the 5.1 km at 6.5% finish climb
The first race may well follow the regular script of a day-long breakaway before the final climb, but wind on the flat could well be a factor. The Puig de Sant Salvador is the sting in the tail and will crown the first winner of the weekend, more than likely a strong climber with good acceleration.
How to watch
USA
Max via the B/R Sports Add-On from 9 am EST / 8 am CST / 7 am MST / 6 am PST
Europe
Eurosport/Discovery+/Max via the B/R Sports Add-On (territory dependent) from 15:00 CET
UK
Discovery+/TNT Sports from 14:00 GMT
Trofeo Palma Femina
1/25
Route: Llucmajor – Llucmajor
Distance: 134.8 km
Parcours: Rolling
Look out for: A bunch sprint is expected, but with the hilly circuit, late moves could stick
What matters: Good legs over the hills and a strong leadout in numbers
The second race of the weekend is earmarked for a sprint, but by no means does that mean it’s an easy ride. With a total elevation of 1,285 meters and four ascents of the 1.9 km at 4.4% Randa climb, the four-lap circuit has a certain sting. The relatively flat final ten kilometers is favourable for the lead-out trains, but strong sprinters will need them to have stayed intact over the hills.
How to watch
USA
Max via the B/R Sports Add-On from 6:45 am EST / 5:45 am CST / 4:45 am MST / 3:45 am PST
Europe
Eurosport/Discovery+/Max via the B/R Sports Add-On (territory dependent) from 12:45 CET
UK
Discovery+/TNT Sports from 11:45 GMT
Trofeo Binissalem-Andratx
1/26
Route: Binissalem – Port d’Andratx
Distance: 108.2 km
Parcours: Medium mountains + uphill finish
Look out for: Although still an uphill finish, the final ramp is different to last year
What matters: Strong teamwork over the Serra de Tramuntana, as was on display in this race last year
The shortest of the three races, the final day of the series is also its toughest. Finishing on the steep climb on the outskirts of Port d’Andratx, the winner will need all the punch they have left after passing through the Serra de Tramuntana. Andratx is where Thalita de Jong won our first race of 2025, although this year the climb turns off halfway up to a different finish.
How to watch
USA
Max via the B/R Sports Add-On from 9 am EST / 8 am CST / 7 am MST / 6 am PST
Europe
Eurosport/Discovery+/Max via the B/R Sports Add-On (territory dependent) from 15:00 CET
UK
Discovery+/TNT Sports from 14:00 GMT
What our athletes think
Yurani Blanco
Racing on Mallorca is always special. I know the roads because I train here. This year, it looks like the rain has come to stay for a couple of days, but I think we’ll have better weather for the weekend, and we’ll be able to enjoy ourselves and give it our best. I think this year’s routes are a little tougher than last year’s, but they are very favourable for us. With a demanding first stage ending at the top, a second day that is expected to be a sprint, but with continuous hills, and a third day with more mountains. Last year we took the victory in Andratx with Thalita, and I think that’s good motivation to try to repeat it this year. We have a very complete team, so we go for it.
Thalita de Jong
It’s special to be back on Mallorca after good memories from last year. In 2026, I would say I feel good, but I don’t know if I am prepared well for the races yet. I had ad a long recovery after my bad illness from last summer, so we had to be careful and make baby steps every week. We were going into these races with the idea for the team to make it a good training block. We have Titia here, so I hope that we can race well together and decide during the race who will be the best. Of course, I want to show myself again that I am back, but we need to be a bit careful as well. There’s a bit more climbing this year on some different parcours. Yurani knows the roads the best, so she is super valuable. She already told me that the final climb of day one is hard. This year three tough finishes, so it will be hard for sure, and also with some big teams over here with big rosters will make it hard, but every race needs to be done, and I hope we can play as a team the best card every day.
