Mallorca
Mallorca Wild Rock again returns to Mallorca, Spain this spring to kick off cycling season in the land of warm weather, beautiful views and absolutely fantastic cycling. It is no secret that Mallorca has a bit of a special place for us at Wild Rock. We have been running cycling trips here for over 10 years, and keep coming back for good reason. This season we are offering more trips to our beloved Mallorca to fit a variety of riding styles and accommodate your vacation time! Enjoy some of what we love about this great island, and join us this spring!
FEELING SHATTERED
CAFE CON LECHE When you order coee in Mallorca, you order cafe con leche. Espresso and steamed milk at just about any cafe keeps us going.
Whether you ride the climbs easy and take in the views, or put the hammer down to challenge the Strava KOM (you will never get one here), the fact of the matter is that you just can’t spend an hour climbing up a mountain in Peterborough. There is something about chugging up these climbs, no matter what the pace, and leaving a bit of yourself on the mountain. It is only after getting to the top, and taking a breather that the enormity of this place is realized. You just climbed for an hour. Sit down, stretch out and enjoy the views. You have earned it.
SWITCHBACKS Going up or getting down, Mallorca is full of tight, beautifully radiused switchbacks. On the way up you rise out of the saddle and jam a few hard pedal strokes around them, going down with a keen eye for upcoming traffic and perfect MotoGP apexing guarantees a smile.
pa amb oli A great thing about travel is enjoying the local cuisine. While in Mallorca pa amb oli is a good as it gets for lunch! Mallorcan bread, fresh tomato, great cheese and a good drizzle of local olive oil. We eat these at just about every lunch
small roads This one always takes us by surprise. Rolling along roads that are a fraction of the size of a Duoro backroad, yet accommodate two way traffic. And bikes. While we ride cars and trucks roll up behind us and wait. That is right, I said wait. They wait for a chance to pass, no horn honking, no middle fingers, no screams to get off the road. Just a quiet understanding of sharing the road.
BONUS CLIMBS Sometimes we focus on the “big climbs” on the itinerary and don’t pay close attention to the other upwardly trending roads. Sometimes you take an exploratory turn off your planned route. It is pretty common to run into a few magical “bonus climbs” if you will while riding in Mallorca. They are part of the landscape that shapes these amazing routes, it may not just be the ascent of Sa Calobra that challenges you, but that feisty little number right before.
LU N C H A typical day cycling in Mallorca goes like this - we start around 10, have a coffee stop (cafe con leche!), ride some great roads and stop for lunch. Lunch stops are part of the fun. Whether it is at the top of a climb beside a monastery, or in a cool little town like Valldemossa, lunch stops are a welcome rest to refuel, rehydrate, and share a laugh before we swing a leg back over our bikes in search of the next great memory. Pro Tip: eat the olives, they will blow your mind.
GOOD P EO P LE Some of the folks who join us on our Mallorca trips have been riding with us for years, for others it is the ďŹ rst time we have cycled with them. With each trip our network of cycling friends grows. From experienced racers to new cyclists, every trip has a diverse group that all share a love for getting out and riding their bikes. For many they come back year after year - this is a place that once you uncover its charms, you see why it is the spot to be for pro cyclists and recreational riders alike.
SA CALOBRA The Sa Calobra day isn’t the longest ride of the trip. It isn’t the longest climb either. But this is the one that everyone talks about. This is the one that Team Sky and all those way too fast pros come to train on. Sa Calobra is just about 10km in length and averages just under a 7% gradient. With a switchbacked descent that snakes down to a lunch stop (don’t eat too much), you take a break and head back up. Those hairpin corners that kept you on your toes on the way down offer a much different challenge on the grind up. Each turn ramps up the incline just a little bit, breaking your steady climbing rhythm. And just when you think its over, a final steep stretch greets you before you can slump over your bars.
2015 MALLORCA TRAINING TRIPS 2015 MALLORCA TRAINING TRIPS
Mallorca boosts great climate, breathtaking scenery, and some of the best roads for cycling that we have come across. With no shortage of routes, and the Tramuntana Mountains nearby, our Training Trips will test your cycling fitness, and help you build some base miles for the months to come. Designed for the experienced cyclist, routes range from 60-150 km in length, and feature several classic climbs of the region, including Sa Calobra, Puig Major, and Col de Soller. We offer 2 Groups on the Training Trip. The “A” Group should be comfortable riding 100km at 23+km/h and have experience group riding. This group appeals to racers, strong triathletes, Grand Fondo riders, Peterborough Wednesday & Thursday Night Groups A & B. The “B” Group should have some group riding experience and be confident they can ride 60km at 20km/h 2015 DATES AND PRICING – CLICK FOR TRIP DETAILS March 14th – March 22nd 2015 / 9 Days / 8 Nights – $1399 pp dbl – $1799 pp single – LEARN MORE April 25th – May 3rd 2015 / 9 Days / 8 Nights – $1499 pp dbl – $1899 pp single – LEARN MORE Sept 26th – Oct 4th 2015 / 9 Days / 8 Nights – $1499 pp dbl – $1899 pp single – LEARN MORE
2015 MALLORCA RECREATION TRIPS 2015 MALLORCA RECREATION TRIPS
Looking for a great cycling vacation? Experience the beauty of Mallorca this spring, let our experienced guides show you the very best of this great island. This trip is aimed at the road or hybrid cyclist (drop bar or flat bars, clip-in or platform pedals, smooth/slick tires) who wants to ride most days. We will break into at least 2 groups. You are welcome to try different groups on different days. Group 1 will ride at a casual pace of 15-20km per hour for up to 3 hours per day. The aim of this group is to immerse ourselves in the culture and landscape. Long lunches and good times are of equal or more importance than kilometres ridden! Average day 30-50km. This group will stick to flatter terrain with no gruelling climbs on the menu. Group 2 wants to get in a solid 2-3 hours of riding before lunch and a couple after as well. You belong in this group if you think the odd hill and a 75km day sounds like a good challenge. The scenery is no less important and good lunch or an espresso stop is valued, but these indulgences are earned! Average day is 40-80km. This cycling trip is the perfect spring getaway! 2015 DATES AND PRICING – CLICK FOR TRIP DETAILS March 23rd – March 31st 2015 / 9 Days / 8 Nights - $1499 pp dbl – $1899 pp single – LEARN MORE Sept 26th – Oct 3rd 2015 / 9 Days / 8 Nights – $1599 pp dbl – $1999 pp single – LEARN MORE
INCLUDED Fixed shuttle schedule inbound on Saturday arrival at 4:00pm and 7:30pm, outbound shuttle on Sunday departure at 4:30am and 8:30am 8 nights of accommodations at Estrellla/Coral de Mar Resort in Alcudia 8 buffet breakfasts 8 buffet dinners Celebratory dinner downtown daily rides led by experienced guides daily ride support from Wild Rock travel staff daily trip literature including ride itinerary and route guides shuttle service for Andratx route
NOT INCLUDED airfare to and from Palma, Mallorca Shuttles to and from Palma Airport other than the fixed times included above. Taxi will be $100 Euros per direction per car, Public Transport will be <$15 but can take 2 hours. daily lunches energy products (bars, gels, drinks) additional food between meals rental bike (if not traveling with personal bicycle) transportation to and from Pearson International Airport
CANCELLATION POLICY Mallorca Final payment The balance of your payment is due 60 days prior to the trip departure date. Cancellation Policy If for some reason you have to cancel your trip the following charges will apply: • After booking a trip, you may cancel within 30 days and we will refund your deposit. After 30 days we will refund your deposit minus a $100 administrative fee. • If you cancel your trip between 31 and 60 days prior to departure there is a cancellation fee of 50% of the original trip price. • If you cancel your trip less than 30 days prior to departure there is a cancellation fee of 100% of the original trip price.
Noel and Kieran roll along near perfect roads for cycling. The destination for the day - the San Salvador monastery looms in the distance. A 6km switchbacked climb averaging 6% delivers us to stunning views.