Majorca: The Ultimate Cycling Destination?

Ride

September 18, 2024

A cyclist on the famous Sa Calobra climb. Photography by: Kovop

“The nature, the trees, the sky, the sea, the monuments surpass all my dreams: this is the promised land!” - George Sand, real name Amantin Lucile Aurore Dupin, French Romantic writer, wrote of Majorca in 1842.

And she hadn’t even cycled to Sa Calobra…

Now, in 2024, Majorca is attracting more cyclists than ever, with an estimated 200,000 visiting per year, and increasingly popular events such as the 312. But what is it that entices them across the sea in their droves?

It’s not just the amateur cyclists, either — pros have been heading here to train for decades, with Bradley Wiggins making annual pilgrimages to the island since 2000, most notably using it as a training base before his 2012 Tour de France victory, and more recently Jonas Vingegaard was spotted on the famous Coll de Sóller switchback climb this May.

We’ve broken down the appeal of the island for those who love nothing more than heading out on two wheels for a long day of sunshine, inspirational views and slabs of almond cake.

The climbs

Let’s start with the most obvious reason cyclists come here (aside from the sun) — the Serra de Tramuntara. The undulating, 90km-long mountain range runs from the northwest region to the south, with its peaks and valleys making for some truly unforgettable routes.

We must tip our hats to the Spanish engineers who designed the dumbfoundingly twisty, mind-bending roads. In particular, Antonio Parietti Coll, who was responsible for the iconic Sa Calobra and Cap de Formentor roads, built in 1933 and 1925 respectively, which he designed with tourists in mind. (As a side note, he used donkeys to decipher the best route up and down the rocky outcrops then planned the roads following their paths.)

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The climbs across these mountains have become icons, cropping up on Strava feeds across the world. Whether it’s the glorious switchbacks of the Coll de Sóller, the almost psychedelic squiggles on the 668m, 9.4km-long Sa Calobra, Wiggins’ favourite climb up the forest-lined Coll de sa Batalla or the genius design of the road to the Formentor Lighthouse, Parietti and his team chipped through mountains and teetering along cliff edges in order to make hard-to-reach destinations accessible, seemingly as if they had future road cyclists in mind.

And despite the climbs being relatively gentle when compared to say the Alps or Pyrenees, they will still sap your energy and destroy your quads. Ensure you pace yourself if you want to see everything on your list during your stay, otherwise you’ll empty your tank on day one.

The descents

What goes up must come down, and with some of the best climbs in the world come some of the most thrilling descents.

Any of the ascents on Majorca make for equally fast descents: with Sa Calobra, the only way up is down, so you get a feel for the twists and turns during your initial descent to the port town, including the incredible loop-the-loop bridge soon after starting, and you’ll know what’s in store on the way back up.

But not all descents are switchback-filled: Col de Femenia features long, flowy straight stretches to let loose on, and the road to Lluc from Puig Major is another fun, fast, adrenaline-fuelled downhill.

The views

Whether you’re buzzing past fields of gnarled olive trees or fragrant orange groves, or being distracted by sparkling ocean on your way to the Formentor Lighthouse, the photo opportunities for cyclists in Majorca are abundant.

You’ll be filling your Strava feed with shots of spaghetti-like switchbacks, glorious golden-hour sunlight, the snaking road down Sa Calobra and wild goats crossing roads oblivious to the traffic.

The cycling-friendly infrastructure

Cyclists are extremely well catered for in Majorca, especially in the northwest. In the area surrounding many cyclists’ base — Port de Pollença — you’ll find an abundance of friendly cycle hire shops, where you can rent reasonably priced bikes for the week.

There are also multiple cafés along the most popular routes where you can pause for a much-needed double espresso and almond cake. Many are aimed at cyclists, with bike racks outside and tubes, tools, and gels on sale inside.

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Tolo’s, in Port de Pollença, is a favorite of pros including Wiggins and Sean Kelly, and the owner has links to the pro cycling world. As a result, it’s become a mecca for cyclists looking to carb-up in the evening, whether it’s with a Galician steak or a substantial serving of wood-fired paella.

Hotels also welcome bikes, often providing access to a garage where you can safely stow your bike in the rare moments you’re not riding, and won’t raise an eyebrow when you click-clack into breakfast in full lycra and cleats.

The mix of terrain

The aforementioned, and often-feared, climbs are one of the main draws of the island, but another plus point is that you can easily mix it up with flat rides for recovery days in the sun.

Ride east from Port de Pollença and the terrain is mostly easy on the legs, with long, straight, even roads, a breeze blowing in off the Mediterranean, and a wealth of historic towns such as Petra, Sa Pobla and Artà offering destination spots for cyclists to aim for.

The weather

Most cyclists head to the island in spring or autumn, out of peak season when the temperatures are warm but not enough to fry you in the saddle.

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Expect a range from 16-25C, with limited rain and a refreshing breeze to keep sweat at bay. It also means it’s warm enough for a post-ride dip in the pool or sea followed by sundown ‘recovery’ drinks on the beach.

The food

Carb-loading is de rigour in this area – paella, Spanish omelette, fries, pasta, pizza, cheese, cake, cheesecake, ice cream… cyclists are in refuelling heaven.

So much so, you may find it’s not unusual to put on weight even though you’re cycling 100km-plus a day.

Written by

Howard Calvert

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