Season Start 2014: Road Cyclists on Mallorca

Road cyclists, their mountain-biking counterparts and triathletes launch their season on Mallorca in spring, bringing the roads to life with their colourful jerseys. Between Arenal, Alcudia, Cala d'Or and all the roads that link them, muscle-powered bikes dominate the scene on this glorious Mediterranean island. Few other destinations offer such scenic variety and such a challenge as Mallorca.

Spring for cyclists on Mallorca

Spring on the Balearic island begins as early as late February, when the first cycling enthusiasts leave a bitterly cold Germany behind and set off on their excursions and training rides on the "cycling island". The season reaches its first peak in the days from Easter to Whitsun, after which it quietens down again until the beginning of June. From February until then, however, Mallorca is the mecca of cycling tourism, and riders can often feel as if they're taking part in a cycling marathon. The density of cycling tourists on Mallorca is then extraordinarily high, with road cyclists and mountain bikers ruling the island's roads and trails. Many organisers of cycling events look enviously towards Mallorca when the cycling enthusiasts gather here in the first half of the year. The locals have adapted to the influx of sporting visitors and support their mobility with refreshment stops along the main cycling routes. In villages such as Orient (at the foot of the Tramuntana mountains) or Petra, right in the middle of the island, Mallorcan hospitality businesses and drinks stands set up small stopping points where cyclists can quickly hop off, grab a drink and a snack and then continue on their way. The exchange works in both directions: central European cycling tourists enjoy the authenticity of life in the heart of Mallorca, while the locals are amused by these - to their eyes - exotic athletes.

Where Mallorca's road cyclists come from

Until 2013, most cyclists on Mallorca were Germans, who were the first to discover the island's sporting side. These days, Britons, French, Dutch and, for some time now, eastern Europeans are increasingly joining the German road cyclists; they discover the island as a wonderful place for a cycling holiday and, in some cases, prepare for their seasons back home as professionals and semi-professionals. Despite this lively popularity, Mallorca remains big enough to still offer quiet, deserted roads within its beautiful landscape. The island administration loves these sporty, well-behaved visitors and attracts them by developing the small side roads, asphalting routes up into the mountains and giving many cycling tourists breathtaking views from the summits of Mallorca's peaks out over the Mediterranean.