Joe's Cycling page

The Basque country is in north Spain, by the French border. Some famous basque cyclists are Loroño, Lasa, Perurena, Lejarreta, Olano, and almost Indurain (he is from nearby Navarra). Mallorca is an island in the Mediterranean, and we have three track world champions: Timoner (6 times in the 50's and 60's), Llaneras (thrice in 96, 97, and 98) and Alzamora (in 97).

The only biking I do is road biking. I don't like MTB's at all. I'm picking up, last year I rode 5600 Kms, my goal is to reach 6000 Kms this year. I usually ride once or twice on weekdays (a short ride, 25-30 Kms) and do my long ride (80-90 Kms) on Saturdays.

In case you care, my bike is a steel one (Columbus Thron tubing) with a Shimano 105 grouppo.

Biking in Mallorca

If you're planning to come to bike to Mallorca, here are some of my usual rides. They are all based in Palma, as I live here. If you are interested on rides starting at other places let me know.

My favorite sites

• Sheldon Brown has a wonderful site on all kinds of cycling information.
• I know of two Spanish sites dedicated to cycling. One is @ciclismo . The rides described below (and some others) can be found there (in Spanish).
• The other one is ciclist@s.

My favorite rides

• Cabo Blanco: Palma, Can Pastilla, S'Arenal, Cabo Blanco, Llucmajor, S'Aranjassa, Can Pastilla, Palma. It's a 75 Km. ride by the south coast. Quite flat. The highest point is Llucmajor at 140 m. No big climb (you have a 2 Km, around 4% descent). The views are nice. There is a hot cut, using the Cami de Sa Torre, that makes it a 45 Km ride.

  
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• Cura:Palma, Son Ferriol, Santa Eugenia, Algaida, Randa, Cura, Randa, Llucmajor, S'Aranjassa, Can Pastilla, Palma. Cura is a mountain near the center of the island (actually Cura is the name of the monastery on the mountain). It has a magnificent view: on a clear day you can see the whole island. Its height is around 550 m. The climb starts at Randa. It's a 5 Km climb with a 6% average slope. If you prefer to climb from Llucmajor it's a 7 Km climb. There also is a 2 Km 5-6% climb between Son Ferriol and Santa Eugenia. The ride is around 65 Kms. Altimetric profile

  
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• Sencelles:Palma, Son Ferriol, Pla de Na Tesa, Santa Maria, Biniali, Sencelles, Algaida, Santa Eugenia, Son Ferriol, Palma. Nice ride through the center of the island. Around 70 Kms. You climb very gradually form Palma to Santa Maria, after that it's flat. There is a 2 Km 5-6% descent between Son Ferriol and Santa Eugenia. This route has lots of alternatives, as there are plenty of roads cris-crossing the center of Mallorca.

  
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• Orient:Palma, Son Ferriol, Pla de Na Tesa, Bunyola, Orient, Alaro, Consell, Santa Maria, Pla de Na Tesa, Son Ferriol, Palma. It's an excursion to the Serra de Tramuntana, the mountains on the West of Mallorca. It's around 70 Kms. There is a 6 Km climb starting at Bunyola. The first two Kms are easy, the next 4, quite tougher. I estimate it is a 400 m climb. You then descend to Orient, there you climb a bit again (one short steep slope, and then a longer, smoother one), and after that it's all downwards. Altimetric profile

  
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• Estellencs:Palma, Calviá, Es Capdellà, Andratx, Estellencs, Banyalbufar, Valldemossa, Palma. This is a tough 80 Km. ride through the southe west corner of the island. Theres is no rest: when you are not going up, yo're going down. The view of the Mediterranean especially around Estellencs and Banyalbufar is stunning. You begin by climbing the Coll de sa Creu (385 m, but tougher than it looks), then you go down to Calvià, go through to Es capdellà, and climb (the easiest of all) and down to Andratx. Then you climb he Coll de sa Gramola (350 m), Coll d'es Pi before arriving in Estellencs. Before passong through Banyalbufar there is the Mirador de les ànimes with a great view, and after you must climb the Coll de sa Bastida (295 m). After that you can either go down towards Esporles, or continue climbing up to Valldemossa. After that it is all the way down to Palma. There is a bike lane beginning at the University.

  
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• Lluc:Palma, Son Ferriol, Sta. Maria, Binissalem, Lloseta, Selva, Caimari, Lluc, and back. Lluc is the main spiritual center of the Island. It is very special for all Majorcans. It is a 100 Km ride, with only one climb. The route is mainly flat until you get to Caimari. Then you have an 8 Km. climb up to the gas station and a 2 Km descent to the Sanctuary. The first 4 km are the toughest. You can return to Palma by the same route, or, if you feel strong enough, you can keep on going towards the Puig Major (at 900 m the tallest pass of the island) and down towards Soller. It is a 14 Km descent, followed by a 6 Km climb full of switchbacks up to the Coll de Soller, and then down (30 more switchbacks) to Palma.

  
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• Porreres:Palma, Son Ferriol, Sta. Eugenia, Pina, Montuiri, Porreres, Llucmajor, S'Aranjassa, Palma. Another 75 Km ride through the center of the island. There is a 3 Km, 5% climb towards Sta. Eugenia. There are other smaller, milder climbs along the route. Once in Porreres you can climb to the sanctuary of Montision. It is a 2 Km, 8% climb with a sweeping view of the south part of the island. The road from Porreres to Llucmajor is one of my favorites: you go through a pine forest with short ups and downs. Very pleasant and strenghens your legs.

  
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• Galilea:Palma, Calviá, Es Capdellà, Galilea, Esporles, Palmanyola, Son Ferriol, Palma. This is a 70 Km mountain ride. It begins the same way as the Estellencs ride above. Once you get to Es Capdella you turn right and climb up to Galilea (6 Km climb) and then down to Puigpunyent. You wind your waqy up (18 switchbacks) on your way to Esporles. Once you get to Esporles you can go directly back to Palma or keep going through a longer route. From her on it is flat. As you can see on the map there are several ways to ride into Palma: it all depends on the length of your intended ride.

  
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