150 | Cycling World
Stephen Roche gliding up the Puig Major Goodbye saddlebag and stuffed pockets , hello support car
It ’ s late October and both my bike and mindset have long since converted to UK winter mode : mudguards , fourseason tyres , winter clothing and cold dark mornings . Arriving to a bright and warm Mallorca after a short flight from London Stansted is a pleasant jolt to the system ; I can ’ t wait to get out on the bike .
As a fairly frequent traveller to Southern France with my bike in tow , I find it hard to shake the anxiety of ‘ will my bike be carbon dust by the time I re-open the case .’ No such worries here , a bike is included in the price . On arriving at the hotel , I ’ m directed to the dedicated mechanics garage , where my ride awaits . It ’ s a very decent Pinarello Razha , carbon monocoque frame with geometry designed for long-distance riding . I ’ d already emailed my current bike set up measurements which have all been carefully dialled in so I just hand over my pedals and I ’ m good to go .
The cycling camp operates from the four-star Ponent Mar Hotel in Palmanova , just a twenty-minute drive from Palma airport . The package includes half-board and there is a dedicated eating area set up for all the cyclists .
On the first evening we gather for dinner , the group are a mixture of young and old , male and female ; a very amiable bunch . It ’ s a good opportunity to meet and chat about the upcoming rides . We ’ re joined by the man himself , Stephen Roche pops down to say hello and give us insights into the climbs ; he will be riding with us too . The fifteen-yearold me is very excited at sharing the road with the cycling legend , as is the 40year old M . A . M . I . L ! ( M . A . M . I . L stands for ‘ Middle-Aged Man in Lycra ’ for those lucky enough not to be familiar with the term .)
DAY 1 It ’ s an early start but it ’ s a real pleasure to stroll out of the hotel post-breakfast into the awaiting minibus , with the bikes loaded in the attached trailer . At the rendezvous point is the official support car , looking the business with spare bikes and wheels on the roof rack , the boot crammed with energy drinks , snacks and spare parts .
There are three groups available to ride in : fast , medium and leisurely , differing in average speed and distance . With fresh legs , I ’ ve opted for a fast group today and booked into the optional Sa Calobra ride - one of the island ’ s most renowned climbs , famously used by Team Sky as a training ground before Bradley Wiggins ’ triumphant 2012 Tour de France .
Our ride captain , Andreu , has lived in Mallorca all his life and knows these roads intricately . It ’ s an easy 25km spin on flat roads to warm up and we ease through the sleepy villages and farmland in the warmth .
Gradually the landscape changes and towering granite outcrops begin to appear on the horizon . It ’ s not long before we begin the first climb of the day , the Coll de Soller . Andreu tells us it ’ s his favourite climb in the area . It ’ s a manageable average gradient of 6 % through pine forest with 61 hairpins to negotiate . I settle into a steady rhythm , keeping the heart rate in a ‘ still able to chat ’ zone . There ’ s a fast descent back to sea level before the next climb , Puig Major . At 854m it ' s the highest climb on the island . It ’ s fairly long at 8km but averaging 6 % means it ’ s possible to spin up . I ’ m grateful for the compact chainset and 32t largest cog the bike comes fitted with .
Approaching Puig Major