The Mallorca Files

Ah, that's good. That's my boy.

Esteban! Esteban!

Esteban!

?

? And you think that you got a shot at me

? You gotta set me free

? I'll surrender

I know what going to say, Ines,

but I'm going to ask anyway.

A Mallorcan cyclist has disappeared off Puig Major,

and I would like to take the case with Max.

Ines.

Detective Blake!

Oh, look at you!

Finally starting to dress as a Mallorcan.

It's more comfortable, no?

Where is she? Gone.

To Madrid for a week.

Corruption case. Really?

Bery important.

Bery, bery, bery high level.

Don't do that.

Yeah.

She left us instructions.

"Dear Max and Miranda, don't touch what isn't yours."

That's a threat, Max. I know.

Who's the cyclist?

Esteban Domenech.

You're kidding.

Rings a bell?

Esteban Domenech, Miranda, is a cycling superstar -

and a total hero to this island.

OK, let's go to Puig Major.

Us? A Spanish case, Max.

Finally! But Ines will cut off our arms - and everything else.

She won't if we find him.

"Two years ago, Esteban Domenech was just another domestique."

What's that?

Oh, domestiques are very interesting.

They are cyclists who sacrifice themselves completely

to help each other win. So, servants?

Well, sort of, yeah.

Why would you put up with that?

Um... "Then Esteban's parents and brother died in a fireball"

"when their car slipped off the side of a mountain in the Andes."

Can you imagine?

"That would've crushed most people,"

"but it drove Esteban to become a champion."

And a big favourite to win this year's Tour de France.

Such a fairy tale.

Let's hope it's not just had a tragic ending.

Are you OK?

Yeah.

All right, then.

Doesn't everyone in cycling cheat?

Esteban's been dope tested more than any other cyclist in history.

He's for real.

What are you two doing? Our job.

Do you even know who Esteban Domenech is?

Winner of last year's Giro d'Italia

and Challenge Mallorca for the past three years.

Favourite for the Tour de France and local hero.

I love it when you do that.

How far behind were his team-mates?

According to his coach's daughter, 36 seconds.

They left in a hurry. Mm.

Based on the track width and wheelbase, it's a van.

I should be able to identify the make

and confirm that blood is Esteban's.

So, that van was waiting here,

and it drove into the front of Esteban's bike

as it rode out the tunnel.

Bam! Crashing his wheel, throwing him on to the tarmac.

Then Esteban was lifted into the vehicle.

Which sped off out of sight.

All in under 36 seconds.

This was planned. Meticulously.

Challenge Mallorca.

One of the most prestigious cycle races in the world -

and one of the toughest, up the tallest mountains on the island.

All the big teams are here,

but Esteban's team, Galatzo, are the stars of the show.

One moment he is the streak on the screen,

making a fool of the mountain.

The next, he just vanishes.

The most talented and hard working boy I have trained for 25 years.

Senor Martinez, can you think of anyone

who has a grudge against Esteban?

Everyone you beat becomes an enemy.

But enough to want to harm him physically?

To stop him racing, perhaps?

Him.

Terry Davies. Mm-hm.

Shocking news, Franco.

Still, every cloud, eh?

They can't prove Domenech is a drugs cheat

if he's not here for the bloody tests.

Sadist!

Esteban used to ride for Davies.

Then he exposed him as a bully.

Esteban spoke the truth, because he's an artist.

That's why cycling needs him.

Why the world needs him.

Are they testing for drugs?

Hah!

They want to find weeds in my bed of orchids.

They always go home disappointed.

HE COUGHS

Franco Martinez. So old school.

Hm, yeah. A real breath of fresh air.

HE CHUCKLES

Oh!

Philippe Tromeur.

Esteban took his place as leader rider.

So now he's Esteban's domestique.

Other people race with their bodies.

I race with my mind.

Is that right?

We only use 10% of the brain.

That's a fact.

Actually, that's a myth.

Who says? A number of studies.

They mostly use functional magnetic resonance imaging.

I can get you the references.

Sure.

Yeah. Anyway...

You want to know if I'm happy about Esteban disappearing?

Are you? Finding his bicycle on the road, seeing all that blood?

It is the worst moment in my life.

Did you see or hear anything?

The silence.

How is your relationship with Esteban?

Excellent.

Because two years ago he was helping you win the big races.

Now you're his domestique. You carry his water bottle.

When he has a puncture, you have to give him your front wheel.

The purpose of life is not to be happy.

It is to be useful.

Ralph Emerson.

You're basically his slave.

I'm not his slave.

With Esteban missing,

I guess you'll be a lead rider for Challenge Mallorca on Sunday.

Maybe even for the Tour de France.

Honestly, I haven't thought about it.

Was there anything else?

Because...

I'm in a lot of shock at the moment.

Oh.

I used to look like that.

And I believe every word he said!

He's humiliated.

Off the narcissist scale, and French.

He's got to be in the frame.

Well, he'd have needed some help.

I used to cycle.

I still do. Spinning classes.

That's not real cycling.

Get me up a hill a lot quicker than you.

Ha! No way.

OK, first one up, Sa Calobra, next Sunday -

and loser buys an ice cream.

Sure.

Just a little bit of fun, though, OK?

Yeah. Of course.

Esteban was brought up in Argentina.

Born in Palma, though.

The Mallorcans definitely see him as one of their own.

They do know he's good.

Clara Cicada! Mallorcan top model.

They're the perfect couple.

Her eyes aren't smiling.

She's having a tough time handling all the fame and the money.

How do you know?

Hola magazine.

KNOCK AT DOOR Max.

HE SPEAKS SPANISH

OK.

So, the blood on the road matches Esteban's doping samples.

The van was a Mercedes Benz Sprinter -

and check this out.

I've got a spare ticket for the Fuel Fandango concert tonight.

Emmy's blown you out, has she?

Let's speak to Clara Cicada.

Right.

I don't understand it.

She really loves Spanish indie music.

CAMERAS CLICK, PAPARAZZI CLAMOUR

Vultures.

It makes no sense.

Esteban is such a hero to this island. Everyone loves him.

Some people value gold more than love, Clara.

It is their curse.

Then there's the green-eyed monster.

The perfect life can upset some people.

PHONE RINGS

Unknown caller.

Take it.

Hello?

100,000 euros cash and we let him go.