Simon Clarke Overcomes Doubt and Secures Fifth Place Finish in Mallorca

Australian cyclist Simon Clarke celebrated his fifth-place finish in the Mallorca race as a triumphant milestone after overcoming doubts and uncertainties just weeks before. Clarke, who found himself without a team and without a contract, shared his story of perseverance and gratitude.

“Three weeks ago, I didn’t even have a team. I was at home in Australia with my head down, training hard, praying that I would get an opportunity. I just wanted to be ready if I did get the chance to prove to whoever decided to take me on that I could deliver straight away and that I was ready to go.”

Clarke’s opportunity came from Israel – Premier Tech, a new team for him. Despite the change, Clarke instantly felt at home with his new teammates. He credits his smooth transition to the warm welcome from staff and the familiar faces of six or seven ex-teammates.

Confident in his training and the solid preparations made during the team’s training camp, Clarke was determined to show his worth in the season opener.

“We had a really good camp with some really solid training and so I knew that this was going to profit straight-away in these first races. Having only finished the training camp last Friday, I went home and rested well and knew that the work we’d done there was going to pay straight away. I was riding the first twenty, thirty kilometers enjoying it, enjoying being back in the bunch, just appreciative of the opportunity that Israel – Premier Tech has provided me to continue with my profession. Later on, it was just about executing the race correctly and trying to read the winning move. Fortunately, I got that right and made the front split.”

Clarke’s race took a difficult turn when he experienced cramps in the final kilometers, affecting his sprint. However, his performance in the chase and his ability to make strategic decisions showcased his experience and knowledge of the sport.

“Although I contributed to the chase,” explained Clarke after the race, “I had my mind on getting ready for the sprint. Unfortunately, in the last 20-25 km I was having some cramps which affected me a little bit in the final, which was not ideal, but I just tried to block that out and do the best sprint I could.”

Impressed by Clarke’s race intelligence, IPT Sports Director Oscar Guerrero expressed his confidence in the cyclist’s future performances: “He has the smarts, reading the race so well. I am sure he will prove to be a great addition for us.”

Looking ahead, Clarke is eager to continue showcasing his team’s capabilities in the upcoming races and aims to secure more podium finishes and race wins.

Alongside Clarke’s achievement, James Piccolo from IPT also impressed, securing a podium with the most points on the climbs and earning the best climber award. The team looks to maintain their momentum in the coming race, with Giacomo Nizzolo leading the sprinters.