The riders who will participate in the Challenge Mallorca next year can prepare for... a genuine team time trial. For the first time in the still relatively young history of the race, the organizers will hold a team time trial.
This is meant to give the Challenge Mallorca "a distinctive character," reports Domestique Cycling. Whereas team time trials were often held in the past—with the team time trial World Championships as the annual highlight—this is much less common nowadays. The Challenge Mallorca organizers want to breathe new life into this somewhat "forgotten" cycling discipline.
The 26-kilometer route runs from Ses Salines to Colonia de Sant Jordi on the island of Mallorca. "It will be a non-technical route," the organizers describe the time trial course. "This is due to the time of year and the possibility of rain. We do not want to take unnecessary risks," they say.
Rehearsal for the Tour de France?
With this brand-new TTT, the Challenge Mallorca organizers hope to attract even more big names. This is closely linked to the upcoming edition of the Tour de France. Since the Tour de France will also start with a team time trial (in Barcelona) next year, this could be a reason for top contenders to kick off their season on the Spanish island of Mallorca.
The men’s Challenge Mallorca will take place from January 28 to February 1, 2026. The team time trial is scheduled for Thursday, January 29. The setup is a series of five one-day races, which also count towards an overall classification. Think of it as a stage race where substitutions are allowed, but only riders who compete in all races will compete for the overall standings.
