In a dramatic showdown that came down to the final kilometer, Slovenia’s Matevz Nunar claimed his first-ever professional victory at Challenge Peguera-Mallorca. Meanwhile, Swiss sensation Cathia Schär successfully defended her crown after a fierce battle on the Spanish island.
Men’s Race: Late Drama Delivers Nunar’s Breakthrough
The men’s race kicked off in the Mediterranean, where Severin Schwarz and Leon Pauger set a brisk pace, exiting the water together in 23:33. A large chase pack featuring contenders like Daniel Tolosa, Alexander Kull, Jack Hutchens, and Jose Ignacio Galvez Ponce followed roughly a minute back. Pre-race favorite Will Draper suffered an early setback, trailing by 1:40 out of T1.
On the bike, Austrian Leon Pauger put on a masterclass. Dominating the 90-kilometer leg, Pauger continuously extended his lead over the chasing group. Even as Draper launched a surging effort to bridge up to the pursuers, Pauger proved unreachable, entering T2 with a comfortable two-minute cushion.
Pauger maintained his lead through the opening lap of the run, but the heavy pace began to take its toll. Behind him, a hungry group consisting of Kull, Hutchens, and Stockman made rapid gains. By the halfway point, Alexander Kull made his move, taking over the lead as Pauger dropped out of podium contention.
As Kull seemed poised to claim the win, Matevz Nunar launched a thrilling late charge. Chip by chip, the Slovenian closed the gap, ultimately overtaking Kull in the final kilometer. Nunar crossed the finish line in 3:42:38 to secure a maiden professional title, with Kull taking second in 3:42:59. Jack Hutchens rounded out the podium in 3:43:12, edging out Stockman by just one second in a sprint finish for third.
“Honestly, I can’t believe what happened,” a delighted Nunar reflected after the race. “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.”
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Women’s Race: Epic Battle as Cathia Schär Defends Title in Style
As expected, the women’s race developed into a thrilling head-to-head duel between the two marquee names: defending champion Cathia Schär and Germany’s Caroline Pohle. Pohle was first to exit the water with a sharp 26:58 swim split, but Schär shadowed her just seconds behind. A strong chasing group including Laura Jansen, Zsofia Kovacs, Matilde Salati, and Marta Bernardi stayed well in touch during the swim leg.
Once on the bike, however, Pohle and Schär quickly proved to be in a league of their own. The duo rode closely together for the majority of the 90-kilometer course, putting daylight between themselves and the rest of the field. Toward the final kilometers of the bike segment, Pohle made a surge to carve out a one-minute lead over Schär. Undeterred, the Swiss athlete clawed back crucial seconds right before T2 – a psychological advantage heading into the run. All other competitors entered transition trailing by four minutes or more.
The high energy spent on the bike took its toll on Pohle early in the half marathon. Visibly struggling to maintain momentum, the German athlete was caught within the opening kilometers by a relentless Schär, who charged into the lead. From there, the defending champion turned the race into a dominant solo performance, marching straight toward a glorious title defense.
Schär crossed the finish line in 4:10:13 to claim the victory, while Pohle took runner-up honors in 4:11:48. Laura Jansen completed the podium in third place with a time of 4:13:17.
“I didn’t know how it was going to be, but I had amazing memories from last year,” Schär said after her victory. “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.”
