Enjoy the sun, sea, and amazing routes, such as the climb to Sa Calobra.
Every day, Rompelberg Cycling Holidays offers group rides at four different levels. All groups are accompanied by a road captain and are small, with around 10 to 15 participants per group. From novice cyclists to more experienced road cyclists, there is always a group that suits your level. Naturally, the ‘together we start, together we finish’ principle applies. Stefaan Pipar has often been on the road with the Dutch cycling holiday specialist. In this story, he takes us on a trip to Soller and Sa Calobra.
On land, at sea, and in the sky
I have often been to Mallorca with cycling buddies. However, I recently visited the island for the first time without any cycling friends. It didn’t really matter. I simply joined one of the Rompelberg Cycling Holidays groups to cycle a 130 km round trip. The route includes the climb up the Coll de Sóller and the Coll de Reis. To reach the latter, the route does not go over the Puig Major, but by boat to the port of Sa Calobra. By land, sea, and air, as it were. As long as the sea stays calm, it’s sure to be a fun experience.
Slightly nervous before departure
At breakfast, I notice a slight tension on the faces of some of the guests. Here and there, people have clearly already put on their cycling gear under their regular clothes. They certainly don’t want to lose any time before departure, as this trip starts a little earlier due to the boat’s departure time from Port de Soller.
At 8:30 a.m., there is already a lively atmosphere in the bike cellar. Everyone is excited and speculating about how long they can stay in the slipstream and save energy on the Col de Sóller so they can go full throttle at Sa Calobra.
I feel that there is some honor to be gained in being the first to reach the top, and I decide to keep calm and stay in the wheels. I notice that some of the guests are riding e-racers. Smart move, because 1,750 meters of elevation gain is no joke, and they’ll make it to the top no matter what. It will be a challenge to leave them behind on the climb.
What strikes me is that some guests are here with e-racers. Smart move, because 1,750 meters of elevation gain is no joke, and they’ll definitely make it to the top.
The group of 10 is our peloton for today. The guide, a fit forty-something who addresses everyone in their own language, is going to Sa Calobra for the seventh time this year, which reassures me: we are in good hands. We go over a few safety instructions and agree on breaks and time limits that we must respect in order to catch the boat. We will cover the first 50 km in 2.5 hours with one 5 km climb at 5%, which seems more than doable to me.
Want to keep reading?
Read the full story of Rompelberg guest Stefaan Pipar on the Fietsport page.
