Mallorca in Early Jan

[jiberjaber]

Myself and a couple of friends have booked a place in Puerto de Alcudia, Mallorca over New Year to do some cycling - anyone been in the area for NY and have any idea of what might still be open (Cafe's etc?) I'm trying to work out what to take for ride food just in case... also an idea on weather?

TIA

 

[Sunny Portrush]

No idea what will be open, possibly not a lot. I was there in the first week of April this year and the place that I rented my bike from said it was the first time this year that they had gone a week without any rain. He said the previous weekend, a bloke can arrived for a long weekend, hired a bike and didnt get out once. Good luck!

 

[172traindriver]

I've been there in January and would class the weather as changeable. It rained some days and was cold, and on others I was out but it was windy as usual. You needed warmer gear i.e. leg warmers and long sleeved tops.
Don't forget most of the towns are never much more than 12-15kms apart and generally head towards the church as that is where the town square tends to be. The cafes are normally always in the squares and you will always manage to get a coffee and cake or baguette. Don't forget the cafes are there to serve the local population that reside there but have the bonus of the cycling tourism particularly between March to May and October.

 

[jiberjaber]

Thanks guys, that's useful. I am working on teh basis it will be sort of like our November has been, so windy, damp and circa 13C but will take a few options for above and below that

 

[172traindriver]

Thanks guys, that's useful. I am working on teh basis it will be sort of like our November has been, so windy, damp and circa 13C but will take a few options for above and below that

Let us know how it goes, hopefully you will get the good weather that will allow you to go riding. Keep an eye out for pro teams out on the road and around the area.
When I was there a few years ago Sky and GB cycling were staying at the usual Vanity Hotel Golf that they take over for a couple of months. A bit down the road in Playa de Muro at the big Iberostar complex were Katusha, IAM and Orica Greenedge as they were at the time.
It was the year after Wiggo won the Tour and he flew past me going the other way fortunately when I was on the way to the light house one day.

 

[Globalti]

Katusha... ah yes... Russians in 2016.... when the TDF went through Megève three days in a row Katusha stayed in a small Alpine hotel just down from the apartment we rented. On the third day we had to leave at about 6 am to beat the road closures and the traffic to get back to Geneva airport. We stopped briefly opposite the Katusha hotel for some reason and out of the front door came a group of half a dozen girls, dressed in party gear and yawning. "Oh look..." sez I, "Katusha have been doing some entertaining!" "Don't be disgusting!" retorts Mrs Gti, "They're probably the riders' wives!"

Yeah? Being chucked out of the hotel at 6 am?

 

[Sniper68]

We have been the last few years in early May as we're lead to believe May is the start of more-or-less guaranteed warmer weather..A club-mate has been in March and had snow!
I think,as said,the weather there in January can be very changeable.I suspect you will have very quiet roads too

 

[jiberjaber]

Judging from Alex Dowsetts insta feed, Katusha are already out there but based a bit more in the SE of the island I think (Cala Ferrera) at the Canyon Base.

 

[Globalti]

Lock up your señoritas everybody.....

 

[Rusty Nails]

Let us know how it goes, hopefully you will get the good weather that will allow you to go riding. Keep an eye out for pro teams out on the road and around the area.
When I was there a few years ago Sky and GB cycling were staying at the usual Vanity Hotel Golf that they take over for a couple of months. A bit down the road in Playa de Muro at the big Iberostar complex were Katusha, IAM and Orica Greenedge as they were at the time.
It was the year after Wiggo won the Tour and he flew past me going the other way fortunately when I was on the way to the light house one day.

Might be a few vacancies this winter if they are looking for somewhere cheaper.

 

[ColinJ]

Myself and a couple of friends have booked a place in Puerto de Alcudia, Mallorca over New Year to do some cycling - anyone been in the area for NY and have any idea of what might still be open (Cafe's etc?) I'm trying to work out what to take for ride food just in case... also an idea on weather?

Ask SKY!

I was on a training camp on the Costa Blanca in the early 2000s and overheard a conversation between 2 cyclists back at the hotel. One asked why the other had gone there instead of his usual destination, Mallorca. He got quite ratty and explained that he had been caught in blizzards on Mallorca the year before - in March!

We actually had some snow on the mountains around Benidorm that year.

There can always be freak weather, but Mallorca and the Costa Blanca must be a better bet than most places in Europe at that time of year.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Ask SKY!

I was on a training camp on the Costa Blanca in the early 2000s and overheard a conversation between 2 cyclists back at the hotel. One asked why the other had gone there instead of his usual destination, Mallorca. He got quite ratty and explained that he had been caught in blizzards on Mallorca the year before - in March!

We actually had some snow on the mountains around Benidorm that year.

There can always be freak weather, but Mallorca and the Costa Blanca must be a better bet than most places in Europe at that time of year.

Costa del Sol beats those for winter sun. Plenty of climbing if that floats your boat.

 

[172traindriver]

Costa del Sol beats those for winter sun. Plenty of climbing if that floats your boat.

Just come back from the Costa Blanca last week, first time out there and got to admit it's good. Roads are great and the weather was great, and saw a lot of pros out there. Also 2 teams staying at the hotel.
It's a lot lumpier than Mallorca where there is the option to do flat, rolling or mountains. I reckon allow 1,000 feet of climbing per 10 miles and you wont be far off the mark. I intend to return there again for sure.
Off to Mallorca for the regular March trip with my mates and have seen snow on the mountains on quite a few occasions over the years early on, but it has also been kind.
Interested to hear where you went on the Costa del Sol as that is also somewhere I have looked at. I can imagine some pretty serious challenges should you choose to head to the Sierra Nevada mountains but would imagine the higher roads would have snow on them possibly?
Mallorca is now getting very crowded due to its popularity.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Tenerif would be a better choice for settled warm weather.

 

[Globalti]

I've learned not to plan business trips to Mediterranean or Levant countries in winter; when the weather is bad they are grey and horrible and nobody has proper heating so you freeze. I lived near Seville through a winter and hated it.