Racing cyclists on Mallorca are changing the island before Easter

Dthese days in Mallorca. Most places on the beaches are still asleep. Not a pretty sight. Barred concrete castles, some with notes in front of them that they would reopen on April 1st. Hard to believe. No worker to be seen on the promenade of Port de Pollença, no painter who would paint over the desolation of winter on the facades. Instead, there is infernal thunder in the harbor basin, where an ancient twin-engine seaplane, for whatever reason, is practicing take-offs and landings.

Anyone who strays here from the picturesque, fantastically beautiful hinterland of the island does not think it is possible that this harbor promenade will ever again become a jewel box. But tourists are already there. Retirees sit in the few open cafes. German. But they don’t determine the picture. That’s what cyclists do.

You just need sensible weather

After a week of nasty storms, meters of snow in the mountains, floods and power cuts, most things have now cleared up again and the weather has turned a corner. With 27.3 degrees Celsius, the local weather service last week measured a new record temperature for the month of March, the old record – 26.6 degrees Celsius – dates from 1981. For racing cyclists that’s half the battle. All those preparing for the new season don’t need much more than good weather.

A few hotels are already open for cyclists. There are already thousands pedaling the island, but it’s only the vanguard. During the Easter holidays, the cyclists will take over the island entirely. Whether on flat stretches on the beach or the famous incline up to the Lluc monastery or on the spectacular ups and downs at Cap de Formentor – nowhere will the hum of the cars dominate more, everywhere the whirring of the racing bikes will determine the soundtrack of the island.

At the end of their training camp, the really tough ones will once again rotate around the whole island, that is the famous “three hundred”. 300 kilometers with 4000 meters of altitude difference, no electric car battery can do that. Only cyclists can do that. If you estimate twelve hours of riding time for the 300 kilometers and subtract an average cadence of 85.15 percent for the descents, then according to Adam Riese you get around 52,000 pedal revolutions. The March cyclists on Mallorca don’t need a battery for this, at least most of those who try it do.

You, the frugal ones, only need a racing bike, reasonably good weather and now and then a gas station on the way where you can get water and cola, calories of all kinds. Then in the evening a load of pasta and a bed. Old cyclist wisdom: Life is not a pony farm. It’s a training camp.