Video: Mike Cotty rides Mallorca's 'sunset' mountains

Think of a climb on Mallorca, and Sa Calobra is almost certainly the first to spring to mind, but it’s far from the only decent ascent on the island – one reason it’s a favoured early training ground for top pros and club riders alike.

The resorts of Alcudia and Port de Pollença in the north east of the island – the capital, Palma, lies in the south west – are magnets for riders in the late winter and early spring.

It’s from the latter that Mike Cotty sets off for the latest Col Collective video which sees him ride through the Serra de Tramuntana – ‘Sunset’ – mountains.

Here’s what he has to say.

Forming the backbone of the northwest of Mallorca, the Serra de Tramuntana mountains are an absolute must to explore if you're visiting the island. Approximately 90 kilometres in length and running through more that 20 municipalities the Tramuntana are actually pretty hard to miss and being a UNESCO World Heritage Site only adds to their allure.

Starting in the picturesque Port de Pollença I was keen to find out more. The island is such a hotspot for professional and amateur cyclists seeking winter sun, continually growing in popularity since I first visited over 20 years ago.

To be honest I wasn't too sure where I'd end up, but then that's half the fun isn't it? What I did know is that we'd be tackling Mallorca's highest road pass, up to the Túnel de Monnàber that cuts through the famous Puig Major (Mallorca's highest peak at 1,445m) followed by the longest descent on the island, 14 kilometres of sweeping bends and smooth road all the way down to Soller. Anything more than that is a bonus, so let's ride!

Vital statistics

Start: Port de Pollença

Length: 82.7 km

Highest point: 850m

Start Elevation: 0m

Elevation Gain: 1,536m

Max Gradient 10%

Ridden in January