CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto is ready to kick off the 2025 European season at the Challenge Mallorca Femenina, a dynamic three-day series of UCI 1.1 road races that promises a mix of terrain and opportunities.

The team’s versatile roster for this Mallorcan campaign is Soraya Paladin, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka, Rosa Klöser, Wilma Aintila, Justyna Czapla, Chiara Consonni and Nastya Kolesava.

Racing begins on January 25 with the Trofeo Marratxi-Felanitx, followed by the Trofeo Palma Femina and the Trofeo Binissalem-Andratx. Chiara will race only in Marratxi-Felanitx, where she returns as defending champion, while Justyna will take her place for the following two days.

The three races are arranged in order of ‘on-paper’ difficulty, with the terrain becoming progressively hillier as the event moves westward across Mallorca. The opening race features gradual, rolling climbs, and with 856m of elevation gain over 126.1km, it’s the day most likely to end in a bunch sprint. The following races head into the stunning coastal mountains, where multiple classified climbs and punchy uphill finishes make the outcomes more unpredictable.

Soraya Paladin enters the Mallorcan races after a superb 2024 season, consistently performing at a high level and always staying near the pointy end, as she does every year. After a well-deserved off-season to recharge both mentally and physically, Soraya has had a largely productive period of preparation.

“We had a great training camp in Portugal, then I spent Christmas with my family before heading to Spain for the team camp. Unfortunately, I got sick just before I arrived, so I wasn’t at 100%, but we worked hard, and luckily, I started feeling better every day.”

Soraya is eager to get back to racing, drawing inspiration from the team’s strong start to the season in Australia.

“Chloe’s victory and the team’s performance in Australia have given us extra motivation heading into the first European races. Mallorca will be a key test, and with Chiara, who won the opening race last year, we’re certainly aiming for strong results. The main goal, however, is to use these races to try different race scenarios with the new riders, and to build the cohesion throughout the series. The final day is probably the one that suits me best on paper, but I’m looking forward to hopefully trying a lead-out on the first day and racing aggressively in the next two.”

Rosa Klöser, racing for CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto alongside her off-road pursuits, makes her professional road debut this weekend in Mallorca.

“We decided to start the season early to build a more specific and targeted race plan based on these first experiences. After Mallorca, my next race will be Santa Vall, a two-stage gravel event in mid-February.”

She speaks enthusiastically about her transition to road racing.

“It’s been really exciting. It’s such a big change from being ‘on my own,’ preparing for races with a small support group – mostly just my family. Now, there’s so much more structure, but especially during our first training camp in Portugal in December, the team made it a relaxed and enjoyable start. It was the perfect environment to get to know everyone without jumping straight into race mode.”

One key takeaway for Rosa has been realising that it’s normal to feel uncertain when entering a new environment, no matter your level.

“It’s the same for everyone – no matter if you are a completely new rider in the scene or if you are an experienced athlete that has been around for years.”

“For Mallorca, my main goal is to support the team in the best way possible: stay safe, stay calm, and most importantly, take in all the new experiences and learn as much as I can. We’ve just come off an intensive training camp, so it will be exciting to see where the form is!

In addition to the Challenge Mallorca Femenina, the Schwalbe Women’s One-Day Classic (1.Pro) will take place on Sunday, January 26, following a week of solid training after the Tour Down Under. Our squad remains unchanged, with Chloé Dygert, Neve Bradbury, Maike van der Duin, Maria Martins, Alice Towers, and Tiffany Cromwell all returning to race on the roads of Adelaide.

To round out a busy weekend for the team, Zoe Bäckstedt will compete in both the Maasmechelen and Hoogerheide UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup rounds, held on Saturday and Sunday.

HOW TO FOLLOW

The races at Challenge Mallorca Femenina will be broadcast on MAX, Discovery Plus, Eurosport, and Teledeporte in Spain, with 90 minutes of coverage available from 15:00 CEST on the first and third days, and from 13:00 CEST on the second day.

You can also keep updated on X through #ChallengeMallorcaFemenina, and through the CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto social channels.

Trofeo Marratxi-Felanitx | 129.1km | Saturday 25 January | Start 12:45 CEST.

Trofeo Palma Femina | 129.5km | Sunday 26 January | Start 10:15 CEST.

Trofeo Binissalem-Andratx | 107.4km | Monday 27 January | Start 13:05 CEST.

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