A thrilling day’s racing that will be remembered by Matevž Nunar pulling off a shock win at Challenge Peguera-Mallorca. After an exciting race that could have gone either way right up until the final kilometre, Nunar secured his first-ever professional victory. In the women’s race, victory went to an unstoppable Cathia Schär, who successfully defended her title after a fantastic battle with Caroline Pohle.
In the men’s race, gaps formed early in the water, with Severin Schwarz and Leon Pauger taking the initiative. After 23:33 minutes, they emerged from the warm Mediterranean waters, followed roughly a minute later by a large group including Daniel Tolosa, Alexander Kull, Jack Hutchens, Ron Epple, Jack Harrell, Robin Dupuy, Louis Buttrick, Rafael Lukatsch, Jose Ignacio Galvez Ponce, Quintin Barreau, and Miguel Mattox. Perhaps the race’s biggest favourite, Will Draper, trailed further behind, losing 1:40 during the swim.
Despite the large chasing group, it was Leon Pauger who stole the show on the bike; the Austrian put his foot down and saw his lead grow over virtually the entire 90km. Although the gaps fluctuated slightly at times, it was clear that Pauger was simply unmatched. Even when Draper slowly but surely bridged the gap to the chase group and threw everything at closing in during the second half of the bike leg, Pauger kept pulling away. By T2, the gap between the leader and the pursuers had grown to two minutes.
Pauger stayed out in front for a long time during the run as well, though he saw men like Kull, Hutchens, and Stockman rapidly closing in. Pauger managed to hold on through the first of four running laps, but from the second lap onwards, the gaps shrank quickly, and just before the halfway mark, Kull took the lead. Shortly after, Pauger was passed by the other contenders, seeing his podium chances vanish.
While everyone seemed to be preparing for a victory by the German Kull from that point on, Nunar had completely different plans. Second by second, he managed to close the distance, finally passing Kull in the last kilometre. With a final time of 3:42:38, he won his first-ever pro race. Kull finished second in 3:42:59, and Hutchens followed closely behind to take third in 3:43:12. But the excitement was not over, as Stockman was beaten in a sprint finish, missing out on the podium by just one second.
“Honestly, I can’t believe what happened. After the swim I thought the race was over and I only wanted to enjoy the day. But, on the bike I got back with the group and during the run the legs came together. I really don’t know what happened here,” stammered winner Nunar afterwards.
Women’s race: epic battle Cathia Schär and Caroline Pohle
In the women’s race, the battle went as expected mainly between the two biggest names: defending champion Cathia Schär and Germany’s Caroline Pohle. It was Pohle who set the fastest swim time with 26:58 minutes, but Schär followed just a few seconds behind, with women like Laura Jansen, Zsofia Kovacs, Matilde Salati, and Marta Bernardi also putting in strong swim performances.
On the bike, however, it quickly became clear that Pohle and Schär were in a league of their own; both women rode close together for most of the course with no one able to follow. In the final phase, Pohle proved to have the stronger bike legs, pulling away from Schär by about a minute. Still, the final kilometres belonged to the Swiss athlete, who shaved a few seconds back off her deficit – undoubtedly a mental blow for Pohle heading into T2. All other women trailed by four minutes or more.
Consequently, Pohle did not start the half marathon strongly; visibly fatigued, she struggled to maintain a high pace. It took only a few kilometers for Schär to take the lead in the race. From that point on, it turned into a solo march towards victory and a successful title defence.
With a time of 4:10:13, Schär took the win. Pohle finished second in 4:11:48 and Laura Jansen finished third in 4:13:17.
“I didn’t know how it was going to be, but I had amazing memories from last year,” said Schär at the finish line. “To finish first once again is amazing. I really love the course. During the first lap of the run, I didn’t feel very good – I had some stomach problems and was afraid it was going to be a very long run. But then I got into a good rhythm and started feeling better.”
Challenge Peguera-Mallorca delivers a standout season finale for both professional and age group athletes that blends demanding competition with a true holiday vibe. Athletes take on a course defined by dramatic elevation changes, coastal views, and technical sections. The event is famous for its crowd energy, seamless delivery, and lively post-race festivities that bring the entire community together. With ideal late-year conditions and the unique character of the island, this race offers a memorable and rewarding way to finish the year for athletes and their families. For further information, visit www.challenge-mallorca.com.
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