Results Trofeo Serra Tramuntana 2026 | Remco Evenepoel sends a statement with long-range solo on first true Red Bull test

Remco Evenepoel delivered a performance of authority and intent at the Trofeo Serra Tramuntana, riding away from the field with a long-range solo to claim his first road victory in Red Bull colours and underline exactly what this new chapter is about.

On a demanding Mallorcan route packed with repeated second-category climbs and little room to hide, the Belgian chose the most decisive moment possible to turn the race on its head.

With just over 55 kilometres remaining, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe raised the tempo hard on the Coll de Soller, shredding what remained of the early break and putting rivals under immediate pressure. When Evenepoel went, it was not a probing acceleration but a full commitment. Within seconds, the elastic snapped.

Only two riders initially clung on as the road tipped upwards and then plunged downhill, but Evenepoel’s descending speed and sustained power soon made the difference. By the foot of the descent, he was alone. From there, the race became a familiar time trial style exhibition, executed on open roads rather than aero bars.

Behind, hesitation proved costly. A group containing Enric Mas, Pavel Sivakov, Antonio Morgado and several other strong names was briefly organised, but the lack of cohesion was stark. Every glance and half-pulled turn played straight into Evenepoel’s hands. His advantage stretched rapidly beyond a minute, then towards two, as the Belgian settled into a relentless rhythm.

The context made the move all the more striking. This was not a downhill finish or a reduced sprint scenario, but a race shaped by climbing, positioning and endurance. Earlier in the day, a sizeable breakaway featuring Magnus Cort Nielsen, Pablo Castrillo and Adrià Pericas had animated proceedings over the Coll de Femenia and the Coll de Puig Major, forcing the peloton to stay alert from a long way out. Yet when the decisive phase arrived, Evenepoel did not wait for the finale. He created it.

As the kilometres ticked down, the final obstacle of the day loomed. The Coll de sa Batalla, an 8.4-kilometre climb at just under five per cent, offered one last opportunity for the chase to close ground. Instead, it became the final confirmation of control. Evenepoel rode the climb smoothly, seated and composed, never showing a flicker of vulnerability. The gap stabilised, then nudged wider again.

By the summit, the outcome was beyond doubt. A short descent remained before the finish at Lluc, but the Belgian had time to take on food, glance behind and manage the effort with the assurance of a rider fully in command of the situation. When he crossed the line, it was not with visible exhaustion but with the quiet confidence of a plan executed exactly as intended.

For Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, the significance ran deeper than a single day’s result. After the team time trial success at Trofeo Ses Salines, this was the first clear demonstration of how Evenepoel can be deployed as an outright aggressor in a one-day race scenario. The support around him was disciplined, the timing precise, and the commitment total.

It also provided an early answer to one of the lingering questions surrounding his winter move. How quickly would the Belgian adapt to new structures, new teammates and new race dynamics? The response in the Tramuntana was emphatic. When the moment came, there was no hesitation, no need for recalibration. The instinct and authority were already there.

Others crossed the line in ones and twos behind, the damage long since done. For those chasing ambitions later in the spring and summer, the message was unmistakable. On his first true road test in Red Bull colours, Remco Evenepoel did not merely win. He set the tone.