Sa Calobra Fest

Welcome to one of the amazing races in Mallorca: Sa CalobraFest – The Toughest Climb in Mallorca with Running and Bike races.

Mallorca is home to several superb mountainous routes. From the undulating Cap de Formentor, to the technical Coll de Soller.

It is a dream for cyclists and runners that enjoy climbing and wish to test themselves.

There is, however, one climb which stands above the rest. For both its beauty and the challenge that it poses, the climb from Sa Calobra into the heart of the Tramuntana mountains is rightfully the most revered in Mallorca .

The Fest has it base at LLuc Sanctuary, Hotel VIVA Tropic on Alcudia and Son Amer Refuge. LLuc Sanctuary the sacred forest of Prehistory and the first Sanctuary on the island that was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, dating back to the 13th Century.

Meet at Sanctuary Lluc Parking on Sunday at 09:00 o’clock ad take your bikes to Sa Calobra.

The Schedule

• 09:00 – 14:00: Pick Up Bikes (Bike Transport + Shuttle from Viva Tropic Alcudia to Lluch ) Price 25 €
• 10:00: Start free cycling tour from Alcudia to LLuc Sanctuary
• 14:00 : Lunch at Restaurante Can Gallet (10 Euros) Optional
• 20:00 – 22:00 Pasta Party optional

The Trip

From the Ma-10, just past Escorca, there is a short climb before a fantastic 10 km descent to the beach below. The views on the descent are incredible; you can see the road snake down in front of you, in what appears to be a never ending series of switchbacks and sweeping corners. This is the heaven before the HELL.

The road is built into a sheer cliff in places and is acclaimed as an architectural and engineering triumph. At the bottom of the descent, there are a few restaurants, a small beach and a series of pedestrian tunnels which visit secret beaches.

The Race

The only way out from Sa Calorba (apart from catching the seasonal boat to Port Soller) is up the same road that you have come down, is to do the CALOBRAFEST.

As is often the case with mountain roads, the scenery is completely different depending on the direction in which you are travelling, and it is every bit as impressive as the descent
Although the climb is one of the toughest on Mallorca, it is not particularly challenging for anyone who has tackled the Pyrenees or the Alps before. The climb is 10km long and rises from sea level to just over 700m. The average gradient, therefore, is just under 7%; it is fairly even throughout, although does get slightly steeper towards the top.

The north coast of Mallorca is also sometimes exposed to strong winds. Due to the nature of the climb, with the road snaking around, you will face a headwind in sections. At times, this can be ferocious enough to force you to get off and walk; however, thankfully this is rare. The last 3km of the climb are the most exposed; it is also the steepest section of the climb.