Following on from our blog titled, “Is the Mallorca 312 the Toughest One Day Cycling Sportive in Europe?” we thought we should give you an update!
We have just returned from the sunny (but chilly) Balearics, where we, along with 8,000 other cyclists from 53 countries, lined up for what can only be described as a tough but thrilling race. The weather was unseasonably cold in Mallorca for the time of year, and while the sun managed to get out every day, strong winds whipped away any warmth to leave us feeling positively frosty during our pre-race training ride out to the Capdepera Lighthouse in Cala Ratjada.
A fabulous ride, it is a must for any cyclist visiting Mallorca, and despite being congested with hundreds of other riders and tour buses that seemed far too big to fit the roads, it was an incredibly scenic and enjoyable route.
On day 2 (Friday) we decided to have a leisurely breakfast and drop our bikes off for a service before heading to registration at around midday. Unfortunately, it seems every other rider had the same idea, and we ended up queuing for almost two hours to get our race pack! Seriously Mallorca 312, you could learn from the Cape Town Cycle Tour team in South Africa. They deal with 40,000 entrants, and you never have to wait more than 10 minutes to pick up your race pack!
Our gorgeous coral pink race bags included our cycle jerseys, which were bright and colourful, a free sample of bum numbing cream, and lots of printed propaganda – that’s it! No energy bars, no water bottles, no freebies… a bit disappointing, but they jersey was included in the entry price, so all-in-all good value.
To the race. Thankfully, the weather was kind to us on race day. The winds dropped, the sun came out, and we had perfect weather conditions for cycling. There had been some confusion about start times for the 3 different groups (312km, 223km and 167km), but they like to keep it simple in Mallorca, and so everyone starts at the same time. The earlier you arrive at the starting point, the more chance you’ve got at leaving at 7am when the race starts. But we were in the starting block by 6am, and it was still 7:06 before we finally got to cycle.
The whole group cycles out together to Pollensa, guided by a team in Green Spotted Jerseys, who eventually pull over to the side as the first climb approaches. From here, the men separate from the boys, and the race really begins.
The Mallorca 312 route is nothing short of beautiful. It feels like you are climbing continually for the first 90km, and so you really need to pace yourself, but the magnificent scenery spurs you on. The refuelling stations come at 50km intervals, and as a result of the long distance between them, they are chaotic – to say the least, but the offerings supplied are plentiful, and they even give out an endless supply of energy gels, which is a bonus!
As I only completed the 167km route, I cannot say if the Mallorca 312 is the toughest one-day cycling sportive in Europe, but Ingo most certainly can. He crossed the finish line some 12 hours after he started looking exhausted but jubilant, and his words were quite simply, “that was tough”.
Tough or not, we’ll be back to do it all over again next year – why don’t you join us?!
Cape Town Cycle Tour 2025 