Brandon McNulty spent a significant part of the Trofeo Calvia riding in isolation, effectively treating the race as a time trial. He broke away from the group for the final 60km, maintaining his lead until he could celebrate his maiden victory for UAE Team Emirates. Interestingly, the ride was governed by intuition rather than metrics, as the American cyclist had accidentally left his heart rate monitor behind before the race began.
The situation grew more chaotic when his power meter also crashed, leaving him without data for the final 20km. However, after surviving the grueling climbs in the Mallorcan hills, the 23-year-old made a daring move with 60km remaining. He managed to carve out a lead and hold it steady all the way to the finish, earning his first prestigious win on the World Tour.
Looking at the public telemetry, McNulty's average speed was 37.2 km/h over a total distance of 156.7km. Because his gear failed, the data showed a ridiculous average of 12 watts and a total burn of just 207 calories—essentially less energy than is spent watching television. The logs show his power readings began to glitch early on before disappearing completely at the 20km mark.
Rather than hindering him, the absence of digital analytics seemed to set Brandon free, allowing him to race with an instinctual aggression he might not have used otherwise. It was a perfect start to the season, providing him with great momentum for his future competitions.
While the race was grueling, it was a successful day for the team, with Brandon's teammate Joel securing second place. After the event, a thrilled McNulty expressed his joy at starting the year on such a high note. He noted that the undulating terrain and lack of flat stretches actually helped him break away and stay hidden from the chasing group on the winding roads.
McNulty skipped the sprinter-focused Trofeo Alcudia, choosing instead a light 50km recovery spin—this time with his power meter and heart rate monitor fully operational.