March 2014 Training Camp – Majorca

Hi Everyone,

A number of you have expressed a desire in getting in some early season miles and I am posting this to gauge interest before I book-up.

After what has been a few years away from early season training in warmer weather, I have decided that it’s about time I gave it another go. I have really missed the miles, the fun and warmth that goes along with such a trip.

My plan is to go over to Majorca in mid-March next year, this in my experience is about the best time to go – the weather is a little more predictable and it’s just in time for when the season really kicks into action when you get back home.

Majorca offers probably the best mix in cycling terrain and pleasant weather that I’ve experienced (I’ve tried Lanzarote and Portugal and neither match up). I always stay in Port de Pollensa (Pollensa Park Hotel –http://www.cabot-hotels.com/hoteles-y-apartamentos/hotel-pollensa-park-spa/ ) as this tends to give easy access to the best routes. You can head out flat along the coast and into the centre of the island where it can be quite testing in some places or simply head uphill and the ‘joys’ of the Puig Major mountain (and others) or if you prefer combine the two on a longer ride. Pretty much all the island is accessible depending on how long you want to ride, but 120 miles will get you to the farthest parts from Port de Pollensa.

Majorca in March is all about cycling, the roads are simply full of riders of all abilities getting ready for the coming season and because of that the locals are really welcoming and as you are outside of peak holiday periods the roads are pretty safe and local drivers respectful of cyclists. You may even catch a glimpse of an odd professional rider on occasions, or even get to ride with a few if they are staying local.

Whilst out on rides, there are plenty of small towns through which you pass, most of which will have a town square where cafes and bars offer good value food and drinks and are quite happy to cater for any group that may choose that as there café-stop for the day – Petra is my favourite and with 3 or 4 places to eat and drink and very often will have 200+ cyclists ‘topping-up’ (both on food and their tan) before the ride home.

 Petra Town Square

I have previously been over with Stuart Hall Cycling – http://stuarthallcycling.co.uk/ – I have known Stuart for a long time and he knows the island like the back of his hand, but it would be good that if there are a number of us interested that we could time our visit in a way that would allow us to ride together. We don’t all have to necessarily go at the same time, but if we are overlapping by a day or two (based on our work/family commitments) then it would still be good to get some club riding in together.

I’m not suggesting we do a group booking as I think this would prove difficult, but if there are enough of us interested in going around the same time we could potentially book direct with the hotel and save on operator costs in the knowledge that we were travelling on or around the same period and would have club-mates to ride with.

One last note – I always take my wife as well and she too loves the fact that there are quite a few other ‘cycling widows’ out there and regular shopping/tourist trips are arranged between them, along with visits to markets or simply chilling out by the pool or visiting a local café / bar for lunch and a good chinwag, so don’t feel the need to leave your loved one behind!!!

So if you are interested, let me know and we can see if we can get some HCC activity going in Majorca. I will be booking by the end of October either way, but I for one would enjoy the opportunity to ride with HCC riders whilst over there.