The World Class Coll dels Reis Climb
Reason enough to come to Mallorca.
The 12 km stretch of road from Port de Sa Calobra to the top of Coll dels Reis (682m) and down to the aqueduct is more than enough reason to visit Mallorca for cycling. It regularly features in most cyclists’ top 10 climbs in the world, and for any road cyclist, it is an absolute must-do. The scenery is breathtaking, and the ride itself is nothing short of spectacular.
The road, with an average gradient of 7%, was built in 1932 without the use of machinery, and its design avoids tunnels to fully embrace the stunning landscape. The road clings to the mountainside as though a giant had dropped a strand of spaghetti. With straights, 50 bends (including several hairpin turns), and a 270-degree loop where the road goes underneath itself, it keeps cyclists on their toes—either with wide smiles or nervous grins.
We owe this engineering marvel to Antonio Paretti, the Palma-born engineer, who also designed the road to Cap de Formentor. Under his guidance, 31,000 cubic meters of rock were removed by hand to bring his vision to life. His design cleverly used the mountain’s natural curves to maintain a consistent gradient, with the exception of the final 2 km, which are the most challenging. These sections contain two short, steep bends, with a gradient of up to 11.5%, just enough to test any cyclist’s limits.
As someone who spent 136 days photographing cyclists on Sa Calobra for Mallorca Cycling Photos during both Spring and Autumn, I can confidently say that the best times to ride this iconic route are either before 11:00 AM or after 3:30 PM. During the middle of the day, tourist buses and hire cars begin to create congestion. However, even if you ride during the busier hours, it’s often just a matter of pulling over for a few minutes and allowing the traffic to pass—soon enough, the road will clear again. No matter when you decide to ride, I’m sure you’ll have a fantastic experience—just make sure you’re fit enough to tackle it! Personally, if I have to ride this incredible road in the summer, I always go early in the morning to avoid the intense midday heat.
If you’re cycling in Mallorca and want to conquer Sa Calobra with fresh legs to aim for a personal best (PB), consider taking the Sa Calobra Express from Port de Pollença, Alcudia, Can Picafort, or Playa de Muro to the aqueduct and start the climb with fresh legs.
Mallorca Cycle Shuttle – 300+ scheduled bike buses each year to the start of the bucket list routes; Mallorca Bicycle Rescue in case bike or body break down; 365/24/7 Private airport transfers for cyclists and now the Sa Calobra Express for PB attempts with fresh legs.