Copyright majorcadailybulletin
The second phase of the annual cycling season is speeding though Mallorca as the island experiences one of its peak periods of activity at this time of year. This is especially true in autumn (September–November), when the mild climate and quiet roads attract amateurs and professional teams. Outside these peaks, there is also activity, including top teams who come to train in winter, but autumn weather marks the tourist ‘season’ for cycle tourism. This sporting phenomenon also occurs in spring (February–May), although with fewer participants. Tourism reports show that Mallorca, in general, earns around 150 million euros a year from this type of tourism which attracts some 200,000 cyclists per year to the island from all over the world. On Saturday night, Spanish TV news featured Mallorca cycling and apart from the usual suspects from the UK and Northern and Central Europe, they came across a group of cyclists who had come to Mallorca from Canada. Back in March, for example, according to the Alcudia-Can Picafort Hoteliers Association, there had never been as many cyclists as this year. It claimed there was growth of 30% in the first quarter of this year compared with January to March 2024 and let us see what this second season of the year brings. In March alone, there was a whopping 45% rise, the association's manager, Carmen Zierer, attributing this to hotelier commitment to improvements of their offer and their facilities. "Establishments have invested in specialised services such as cycling centres with repair shops, high-end bicycle rentals, physiotherapy, and sports nutrition. This allows us to attract a tourist profile that seeks active, high-quality experiences." And, last month, The Council of Mallorca announced, as part of the activities for European Sustainable Mobility Week, the reinstatement of the road safety commission for cyclists, after a five-year hiatus. The council explained the aim is to promote sustainable mobility among the general public, raise awareness of alternatives to conventional transport, and improve safety and coexistence among different road users. The cyclists’ road safety commission is a forum where the council meets with the Islands’ Cycling Federation, users and other associations and institutions related to cycling to listen to and discuss the problems and improvements that have been made with regard to this means of transport. The aim is to talk directly with users to improve road safety and coexistence between cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles in order to promote policies and actions that encourage sustainable and safe mobility.
