Ben Swift places third in Trofeo Palma

Ben Swift on podium, Trofeo Palma, Challenge Mallorca 2013

Team Sky's Ben Swift finished third in his first race of the season, the Trofeo Palma, on Sunday as Madison-Genesis produced a respectable performance on their international debut.

Lotto-Belisol's Kenny de Haes sprinted to take the win in the first of four one-day races that make up the Challenge Majorca event. Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp) finished second, with Swift close behind in third.

Alex Peters was the highest-placed Madison rider in the race, finishing 23rd. Earlier on in the day, Sebastian Bayliss attacked out of the peloton in an attempt to catch a two-man breakaway group of Perrig Quémeneur (Europcar) and Francisco Moreno (Caja Rural), who were subsequently caught before the finish.

Despite a frantic, crash-filled final lap of the circuit race around the Palma seafront, Bradley Wiggins survived unscathed on his first competitive outing of 2013. He was also awarded the day's combativity prize for his role in reeling into the two escapees.

Wiggins is expected to ride all four races that comprise Challenge Majorca, as are Jon Tiernan-Locke and Josh Edmondson, who made their Sky debuts in today's race. Tomorrow's installment, the Trofeo Campos, is likely to be another day for the sprinters.

Results

Challenge Majorca day one: Trofeo Palma, 116km

1. Kenny Dehaes (Bel) Lotto-Belisol in 2-39-07

2. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp

3. Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky

4. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Merida

5. Francisco Jose Ventoso (Spa) Movistar

6. Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar

7. Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis

8. Victor Manakov (Rus) Rusvelo

9. Yoeri Havik (Ned) Cyclingteam de Rijke-Shanks

10. Artur Ershov (Rus) Rusvelo

Other Brits

23. Alex Peters (GBr) Madison-Genesis

32. Dean Downing (GBr) Madison-Genesis

61. Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar

95. Liam Holohan (GBr) Madison-Genesis all at st.

127. Chris Snook (GBr) Madison-Genesis at 1-29

141. Brennan Townshend (GBr) Madison-Genesis

159. Josh Edmondson (GBr) Team Sky

161. Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky all at st.

163. Jon Tiernan-Locke (GBr) Team Sky at 1-35

164. Ian Bibby (GBr) Madison-Genesis at st.

172. Sebastian Bayliss (GBr) Madison-Genesis at 3-53

Bradley Wiggins meets his fans

Madison-Genesis make their international debut

The riders head out

Bradley Wiggins

Palma Marina

Kenny De Haes wins

Ben Swift on the podium after coming third

Madison-Genesis rider Ian Bibby

Related links

Trofeo Palma photo gallery by Andy Jones

Madison-Genesis to make international debut in Majorca

Ben Swift: Rider Profile

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