Mallorca - the second home
The top dog among the spring cycling destinations has no rival to fear. The island is expecting 200,000 cycling holidaymakers by the end of the year - more than before the pandemic. Most of them are likely to be training on road bikes, with 90 per cent of them choosing the months of February to May, according to the hotel industry. More than 150 hotels live off cycling tourists outside of the bathing season. Other road cycling destinations can only dream of such numbers. It all started very small, on 8 March 1986, when Swiss track cyclist Max Hürzeler, who became standing world champion in 1987, organised a five-week training camp east of Playa de Palma, while he himself was able to stay in the hotel free of charge. Hürzeler had 185 guests, and 440 participants came in the second year. The first two-colour three-page brochures quickly grew into glossy catalogues. In 2023, it is estimated that around 70,000 cyclists will be travelling to Mallorca with "Huerzeler". And the company has found imitators by the dozen; no other region in the world has this density and quality of cycle tour operators. And for good reason: a network of narrow, well-paved roads leads into the Tramuntana mountains and through the relatively flat centre of the island. Idyllic beaches and charming villages lie along the way. And the cycling infrastructure is unrivalled: Bike hire, workshops, guided tours in a wide range of ability levels and a huge selection of accommodation specialising in cyclists.
Plus points: That speaks in favour of a training camp on Mallorca
- magnificent, varied landscapes
- Close-knit network of small roads with little traffic
- Fast and affordable direct flights from several German cities
- Tour operators usually organise airport transfers; this may save on car hire
- Large selection of locations on the coast (except north-west). The three centres are the southwest around Santa Ponça, Playa de Palma near Mallorca's capital and in the north the bay from Alcúdia to Can Picafort
- Large selection of cycle tour operators and bike hire companies; many offer a package consisting of hotel, guided tours plus bike hire
- Large selection of training groups at different performance levels
Minus points: That speaks against it
- only air travel makes sense
- average of five days of rain each in March and April, in 2023 it snowed in February
- Crowds of racing cyclists: large groups of cyclists are difficult to overtake, occupy all the cafés and restaurants in beautiful squares
Six Mallorca alternatives for a road bike training camp in spring
However, Mallorca is not the only destination on the European continent that is suitable for a road bike training camp in spring. Some are even accessible by train or car.
Gran Canaria and Lanzarote
The Canary Islands already offer average temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius in January. For Road bike training camp on the Canary Islands The comparatively flat Lanzarote and the mountainous, wild Gran Canaria are particularly suitable.
Andalusia
Andalusia is located in the south of Spain. The Costa de la Luz and the Costa del Sol offer good weather in spring, ideal for honing your form. In addition to undulating terrain for rolling in, there are also spectacular mountain roads. >> Andalusia as a training camp destination
Côte d'Azur
The nearest Mallorca alternative is in France. The Côte d'Azur stretches from Marseille to the Italian Riviera and is one of the most beautiful stretches of the Mediterranean.
Lake Garda
Lago di Garda is also ideal for a spring training camp on a racing bike. Vineyards await in the south, Alpine peaks in the north. The start of the season on Lake Garda is recommended from March at the earliest.
Italian Adriatic
On the Adriatic coast of Emilia-Romagna and the Marche region, numerous hotels have specialised in road cyclists, similar to Mallorca. The epicentre of the training camps stretches from Cesenatico in a southerly direction via the seaside resorts of Rimini and Riccione to Gabicce Mare. Read more about the racing bike region of the Italian Adriatic here.
Cyprus
If you are looking for a training camp destination for the winter months until April, Cyprus is a good choicebecause the south-easternmost tip of Europe is also the warmest. Even in March, the sun shines for over ten hours a day and warms the coastal regions to an average of 19°C. The climate and the wide range of training options, from flat to mountainous, attract many cyclists to the Mediterranean island early in the year.
