Where Cycling Legends and Amateurs Meet: The Mallorca 312

The Mallorca 312, an event of exceptional popularity, draws enthusiastic amateurs and distinguished veterans of professional cycling year after year. Such is the rush that the 8,000 available places sell out in no time at all. As a special highlight, the race organiser always announces an illustrious cast of former greats of the sport, all pedalling together. Among others, Jan Ullrich made a triumphant return to cycling on Mallorca in recent years. At this year's event on 27 April, Annemiek van Vleuten, the outstanding cyclist, will start with the honorary number 312.

The Dutchwoman brought her impressive career to a close at the end of last season. Until then, the 41-year-old was regarded as one of the most dominant figures in women's sport, a dominance she demonstrated impressively: in six of the last seven editions of the three Grand Tours, the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España, she took the overall victory each time. Van Vleuten can look back on a total of eight wins in these prestigious tours; on top of that she secured four world titles, one European title and triumphed as an Olympic champion. She only began her cycling career at the age of 24, having previously been a footballer.

Her rise to undisputed dominance in women's sport began in 2017, when she was 35 years old. Today the Dutchwoman works as an accomplished television pundit in her home country. Annemiek van Vleuten is not the only bright star in the Mallorca 312 firmament. The Spanish cycling icon Alberto Contador is once again not one to pass up the honour of taking part in this event. The starting field is further graced by former professionals of undisputed renown such as Joseba Beloki, Vincenzo Nibali, Pedro Horrillo and Sean Kelly.

The Mallorca 312 defies the classic definition of a race. Only a select group of athletes strive for the laurels of overall victory over the 312-kilometre course. The other participants, by contrast, celebrate the ride. This is especially true of the ex-professionals, who tend to be found at the back of the peloton and make ample use of the chance to chat with their fellow riders. The course once hugged the contours of the island, which gave the event its distance of 312 kilometres. Today the route winds from the Playa de Muro through the heart of the island, cleverly avoiding the area around Palma.