MALLORCA AND COMPETITIVE CYCLING
Is there cycling talent in Mallorca?
Mallorca, the largest island in the Balearic Islands, has been known for years as the hotspot for cyclists and cycling tourists from all over Europe. Thanks to its mild climate, varied landscape, and excellent infrastructure, the island has become a true cycling paradise.
Even track cycling is fully up to speed in terms of infrastructure and facilities.
The new Velòdrom Illes Balears, which was built to host the 2007 World Track Cycling Championships, immediately became a hub for the development of track cycling on the island. Not only did the track host the World Track Cycling Championships in 2007, but it also became a regular training camp for national teams from all over Europe. Thanks to the mild climate, riders were able to combine their training programs with sessions on the road and on the track, even in winter—something that is possible in very few places in the world.
Climbing, descending, and enjoying
For every cycling enthusiast, Mallorca is a playground. The island offers a surprisingly varied landscape: from rolling hills and steep mountain passes in the Tramuntana mountains to quiet, flat roads along the coast. Routes such as the climb to Sa Calobra or the Puig Major are legendary among cyclists. The Cap de Formentor, with its breathtaking views, is also a must for those who want to explore the island on two wheels. Thanks to its well-maintained road network, climate, and diverse cycling options, the island is ideal for both amateurs and professional teams. Large teams such as INEOS Grenadiers and Bora-Hansgrohe regularly use Mallorca as a training base during the winter months.
A true contradiction – few local cycling stars in Mallorca
But while this beautiful island offers so many opportunities for cyclists, hardly any local cycling talent has emerged. Cyclelive decided to dig deeper to uncover the weaknesses of cycling in Mallorca. Together with Marga Lopez – a cyclist born in Campos, Mallorca, who has been riding for Belgian cycling teams since 2019 – we went in search of causes and remedies for the future of cycling in Mallorca. At the beginning of May, we visited her at home and had a lovely evening with her parents, where we discussed all aspects of cycling in Mallorca.
Hi Marga, with all the beauty Mallorca has to offer cyclists, you would think that there would be a lot more talent from Mallorca in the professional peloton?
“Yes, you would think so, but the mentality of the islanders towards cycling puts a stop to that. In Belgium, there are different races in different categories every week, but here in Mallorca it is almost impossible to organize a race safely. If anything is organized, young people, women, and men ride together in the same race. There are (almost) no marshals because there is no ‘cycling race culture’. People get annoyed when they have to wait because cyclists are passing by and traffic is being held up. It’s very different from Belgium.”
Is that why there are no cycling stars from Mallorca? You have Nadal in tennis, who is one of the top three players of all time, so why not in cycling?
“We do have cycling stars, Enric Mas and Mavi García are both real climbers. We also have a number of important track cyclists such as Joan Llaneras (2x Olympic champion, 2x Olympic silver medalist, 7x world champion). Okay, they may not be the best of all time, but they have achieved some exceptional results and their names are known all over the world. But I agree, it’s limited. I think the main reason we don’t have more and bigger names is that the races we have here are not suitable for developing as a cyclist because you usually race against the same riders all the time. At the start of the season (from February to May), there are the Invierno and Mallorca races, the Challenge de Primavera, 3 Días de Mallorca, and Pla de Mallorca. These are longer races spread over weekends (you can race on separate days, but there is also a GC). In these races, women have to race together with men because there is no separate category. That is one of the reasons why there are not so many women racing here. After that, there are criteriums (about 40 km for juniors and elite, about 20 km for masters and U16), where women have to race with masters (aged 40 and over). However, in recent years, they have added an extra category just for women (from U16) to some of these local criteriums. Moreover, you live on an island here, and it’s not always easy to go racing elsewhere.”
Are the women’s races also limited in terms of the number of starters?
“There are usually between 15 and 20 women at the start. The level is therefore not too high. It’s true that there aren’t that many female cyclists in Mallorca who want to cycle at a high level; most do it for fun. But I think that when they see cycling growing, there will be a change in mentality.”
So you have to go to the mainland to get the most out of it?
“Yes, if we want to grow in the sport, we have to cycle outside Mallorca, and that really doesn’t make it easy for us. You have to bring a lot of equipment and bikes off the island. Young riders have to be brought by their parents, so they also have to be on vacation, otherwise it’s almost impossible. It takes a lot of organization and money.”
Isn’t it also a question of a lack of a real cycling culture?
“Absolutely! People here aren’t interested in cycling, and many are annoyed by the large number of cycling tourists on the island. The cycling culture that exists in Belgium is nowhere to be found here.”
What is the biggest difference between the mentality of the general public in Belgium and Mallorca/Spain?
“In Belgium, most people are born with a bike and use it to get everywhere (work, school, shops, etc.). They are born into a cycling culture and have respect and appreciation for every rider. You also see this respect for cyclists in traffic. In Mallorca, I encounter aggressive drivers almost every week. That’s one of the disadvantages of the many cycling tourists in Mallorca. The islanders see it as an obstruction to their own freedom. They have to share the road with too many cycling tourists in some places, and those cyclists sometimes don’t take the rules of the road very seriously. In Belgium, I haven’t experienced any aggression in all the years I’ve been training and racing here. Here, there is more respect for each other on the road on both sides.”
Do you have any idea how you could change people’s mentality towards the races in Mallorca?
Encourage people to participate in/watch the races so that they also see it as a social event, not just a sporting event. For example, hold the races at the fairgrounds, as is usually the case in Belgium, so that it becomes a fun event for the community instead of a nuisance.
Work with local media to raise awareness beyond just victories. By this I mean raising awareness of how cycling works, tricks, how good it is for your health, how you help the environment by cycling instead of taking the car, etc.”
It seems like a vicious circle. So it’s also difficult to find sponsors to organize a race?
“Very difficult! It’s a circle that’s almost impossible to break. Most of the press in Mallorca pays little attention to cycling, companies don’t find it interesting, and local shopkeepers find it annoying that the roads to their shops are closed.”
You would think that there is a lot of work to be done by the cycling federation?
“Yes, but they don’t really do anything about it! Mallorca seems to be a long way off their radar, while I think there are certainly a lot of opportunities if they would tackle this properly.”
With all the experience you’ve gained in Belgium, you might be the right person to do something about this problem after your career. Maybe claim a position at the federation after your career?
“I’ve certainly thought about it and I have a lot of ideas to make something of it. Who knows what the future holds? But first I want to concentrate on my own cycling career.”
In any case, you’ve given us a nice insight into real cycling in Mallorca. A paradise for cycling, where all the ingredients are there to produce fantastic riders, but where, with all those ingredients, the right soup isn’t being cooked to promote top-level sport. Thanks for your contribution, Marga.
Text: Patrick Van Gansen
