“At the really decisive moment, I wasn’t there” – Mixed emotions for Benoit Cosnefroy as Antonio Morgado delivers UAE victory at Trofeo Calvia 2026

Victory for Antonio Morgado at the Trofeo Calvia marked a perfect start to the Challenge Mallorca for UAE, but for UAE Team Emirates - XRG teammate Benoit Cosnefroy, the win came with a more complex emotional edge.

Cosnefroy crossed the line well down the order after a day spent working for the team in brutal conditions, watching the decisive move unfold just ahead of him. The Frenchman did not hide that sense of frustration afterwards, even as he celebrated his new teammate’s success. “At the really decisive moment, I wasn’t there,” Cosnefroy admitted in conversation with Cycling Pro Net, summing up a race shaped by weather, attrition and narrow margins.

The Trofeo Calvia was dominated from the outset by heavy rain, cautious early riding and a long period of uncertainty. Teams lost riders early, crashes disrupted plans, and control was never absolute. Cosnefroy acknowledged that the day quickly became about adaptation rather than execution.

“We lost teammates quite early on. One rider crashed on the first climb quite quickly, and after that we managed things as best we could. It was a bit chaotic, especially with the weather.”

Rather than following a rigid hierarchy, UAE opted for flexibility as the race splintered. Cosnefroy explained that the team deliberately left space for whoever found themselves in the right position once the race finally broke open.

“Honestly, we had quite a lot of freedom today. With the weather like this, it was really whoever found themselves at the front who would be able to play for the win.”

That freedom ultimately played into Morgado’s hands. The young Portuguese rider was one of the strongest figures once the race was reduced to a select front group on the final climbs, and he finished the job with a perfectly judged sprint to take the victory.

Cosnefroy, meanwhile, was active but missed the critical split that decided the race. “Earlier in the race I was able to contribute to the team effort. I tried to make the move when five riders went clear at the bottom of the descent, and I was quite active at that point, but I didn’t manage to get into that move. That’s how it is.”

Despite that disappointment, the overriding emotion remained positive. Morgado’s win, delivered in just his second race with UAE and on his birthday, was a moment Cosnefroy was quick to highlight.

“Antonio was very strong, like last week in Spain. It didn’t really show then, but he was very strong. So he wins this race beautifully on his birthday, and I think you can’t ask for anything better.”

For Cosnefroy, the Trofeo Calvia ended without personal reward, but with something arguably more important early in the season: a team victory secured under pressure, and a reminder that even imperfect days can still deliver the right outcome.