Mallorca 2018

Tuesday 1 May

Ride 1 - East to Felanitx

A mainly flat ride on quiet roads. Pick up the bikes then head off around 10.30am.

Lunch in Felanitx after 30 miles. After lunch the group can split. Those who want an easier day head back via Porreres and Llucmajor (ideal spot for a mid-afternoon break).

Those who want to can climb up to the San Salvador Monastery. Rated by roadcycling.uk as one of the top ten climbs in Mallorca. It's around 5km with an average gradient of 7% and a few steeper ramps.

Full route: 64 miles with 3140 ft of climbing - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27026501 TCX file download PDF Cue sheet

Short route: 54 miles with 1880 ft of climbing - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27026515 TCX file download PDF Cue sheet

Wednesday 2 May

Ride 2a - Riding back over the mountains

A big day out, taking in four famous climbs: Coll de Sa Batalla, Sa Calobra, Puig Major and Coll de Soller.

We'll start early with a 10 mile warm up ride to the the station at Marratxi.

It's a 20 minute train ride from Marratxi to Lloseta, then a few miles up the road to the Sa Ruta Verda cafe in Caimari for breakfast.

As last year the ride starts with the scenic climb of the Coll de Sa Battala (8km at 6%).

We then head to the Sa Calobra - down to the bay and back up again (9.5km at 7%).

Then it's up to the top of the Puig Major (via the easy route, so only 5km at 5%), followed by the brilliant 14km descent.

There's a possible lunch stop at Soller (47 miles) at the Bar Stop.

This year we take a different route back, via the Coll de Soller. This is 7.4km with an average gradient of 6%, and 29 hairpins on the way up. There's a cafe at the top (Ca'n Topa) for regrouping and refreshment.

At the top of the Coll de Soller we're then descending for around 14km (only 24 hairpins on the way down), and then a mainly flat run back to Palma.

Full route: 75 miles with 8560 ft of climbing - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26585806 TCX file download PDF Cue sheet

Route from hotel to Marratxi station: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27274876 TCX file download PDF Cue sheet

Shorter and flatter routes: See the two options below

Wednesday 2 May

Ride 2b - Sa Calobra shorter option

This starts in the same way as the long Wednesday ride above, but after climbing back to the top of the Sa Calobra, you head back to Lloseta and take a train back to Palma or Marratxi. It's still a big day out at nearly 50 miles and 6,000 feet of climbing.

Sa Calobra shorter route: 47 miles with 6090 ft of climbing - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27036391 TCX file download PDF Cue sheet

Route from Marratxi station back to hotel: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27274922 TCX file download PDF Cue sheet

Wednesday 2 May

Ride 2c - Wednesday flat option

This is for those who really don't like going up (or down) hills, or for those who want a later start and breakfast at the hotel.

It's a 34 mile tour of the flat quiet roads south of Llucmajor. A nice spot for lunch at 22 miles is the restaurant Cas Busso.

Wednesday flat route: 34 miles with 1000 ft of climbing - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27275091 TCX file download PDF Cue sheet

Thursday 3 May

Ride 3a - Llucmajor: orange groves and Randa monastery climb

This was the first main ride we did last year. A mainly flat 50 mile loop via Llucmajor around some of the quietest roads on the island. Those who want to can ride up to the monastery via the Puig de Randa, (5.5km at 6%).

We'll stop for lunch in Llucmajor, with the shorter route (see below) taking a more direct route back, for those with tired legs or planes to catch. The rest will ride the same route back as last year, stopping for an afternoon drink at the restaurant Cas Busso.

Full route: 54 miles with 2580 ft of climbing - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/25971979 TCX file download PDF Cue sheet

Short route: see below

Thursday 3 May

Ride 3b - Llucmajor shorter route

This follows the same outward route as the longer Thursday ride (above), but misses out the Randa monastery climb and takes a more direct route back to the hotel (about 10 miles from the lunch stop in Llucmajor).

Shorter route: 30 miles with 1000 ft of climbing - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/25884167 TCX file download PDF Cue sheet

Friday 4 May

Ride 4 - The final day

This is the same ride we did on the final day last year. It's a 30 mile spin heading north past the airport. Mainly quiet roads, with a few hills in the middle. We'll be back late morning ready to drop the bikes back and head out for lunch.

If the hills are too much, then there's always the option of Wednesday's flat ride option instead.

Full route: 30 miles with 1300 ft of climbing - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27274008 TCX file download PDF Cue sheet