Day 1 /

Bryan sees me fiddling with my computer. “What are you thinking?”, he asks. “Well, I think we should turn back”, I responded. Why? Pea sized hail followed by sheets of a horizontal deluge might have done it. Today was supposed to be a warmup, instead we are soaked through and shivering. 

Turning back was kind of pointless. We all silently agreed, or maybe I just did, to press on. The only climb of the day, Puig de Santa Magdalena, was our chance to… just get warm. Matt and I raced each other up. Burning all of my matches, wallet, and entire house down for the next 9 minutes only to have Matt ruthlessly come around in the final 200 meters, breathing out of his nose. 

The effort marked le grand depart and set the tone. We committed to pushing each other, and more importantly, just playing on our bikes. Coasting back home, the sun made its first appearance as we neared the house. Despite the grimy conditions, things were looking up, and the forecast should get better from here on out.

Day 2 /

It’s one of those roads you have to do, Sa Calobra. At 10km long with an average of 6 percent, it’s not the hardest of climbs, but it is visually stunning. Unfortunately, we decided to ride it 3 days before the largest cycling event of the year , the Mallorca 312. A logistical error, as we crept down the descent behind a cavalcade of buses, motorcycles, cars and nervous cyclists making their way down the serpentine road to the coast. The joyous screech of disc brakes and sweet aroma of burning clutches quickly ruined the picturesque vista. The climb out of the maw of tourists was much nicer though, as it seems most people were settled in for lunch. Today was our first exploration of the Mallorca mountains as well and it did not disappoint. The cool temps made climbing a real pleasure in our S2-R jerseys and the chilly descents called for my favorite S1-J jacket to keep warm. Some real distance in the legs and we were ready to take on the rest of the week.

Day 3 /

With the departure of Alex, our group was now 4. We opted to stay inland for todays ride and put together what ended up being my personal favorite route. A large, flattish counter clockwise loop punctuated by 4 steep hillside monasteries. It was a perfect mixture of riding disciplines for the day. Rotating pacelines, reading changing wind directions on small farm roads, and hard tempo, uphill sprint finishes. It was a far departure from the hordes of cyclists we saw on the coast the day before. The majority of the roads were empty, and the drivers respected their distance to us for the most part, even on the single lane roads. If there is a wildcard route you are looking for in Mallorca, give this one a look.

Day 4 / 

Transfer day, typically something you want to avoid during camps but today we had a good reason. Instead of starting the day from Sineau, we loaded the bikes into the van and drove west to Bunyola, to start the day. This was because a fellow member of L’Equipe Provence, Paul, was also on a cycling holiday with a few friends from London, and they were making their way from West to East along the coastal road. So after a quick coffee in Esporles, we rode to the coast to catch them at the intersection headed East to Soller. Our timing wasn’t the best, but we did finally find our motley crew of lads. Just like that,  4 became 10. The next few hours spent chatting with strangers while admiring scenery like this is uniquely cycling. This was the first time any of us had ridden with Paul in person, as he joined L’Equipe Provence on Zwift and has been one of the key members ever since. The jewel of the ride today was our ascent of Puig Major, the biggest climb on the island. At nearly 14km long with an average of 6 percent, it’s a very consistent climb that allows you to get stuck into a rhythm. And of course, we raced the final kilometer after saying goodbye to Paul and his crew in Lluc, we looped back down and around to Bunyola to drive back home. Capped off by a barbeque under the stars at the house, we prepared for our biggest and last day of the trip.

Day 5 /

We wanted to avoid these roads, yet we ignored common sense. The Mallorca 312 was today, and there were road closures all over the northern coastal roads of the island. Our target today was to ride from Sineu, to Andratx and back. About 165km and 2,200meters of climbing. The Queen stage really. After a few detours, and elevated blood pressure, we managed to get on the route, just as the event had passed. Which left us virtually empty roads along the coast from Valldemossa to Andratx. No cars, no buses, no cyclists, just us and the endless coastline stretching far into the Mediterranean. It was no easy day by any means, the detours tacked on another 20km, and a few more lumpy climbs. But it was all worth it as we freely took the entire road on sweeping bends and stopped to appreciate a moment not common for such a visited area. A cross tailwind nudged us home on the return back to Sineu. With tired legs and hungry bellies, we spent the evening around the table with pizzas and wine remembering the weeks highlights. And thinking ahead to the next time we can meet.

Day 1 was a 90km opener in the shadow of Mont Ventoux. The Giant of Provence would welcome us later in the week but today we sized up the mountain and our legs after a long day of travel. The sun went to work on our tan-less knees and arms as we snaked around the magnificent Gorges de la Nesque and blossoming cherry orchards. A quick lunch stop in Villes-Sur-Auzon cemented a fast first day with only 1300 meters of climbing. 

Day 2 was an exciting and largely uncharted one for me. We ventured north of the Ventoux and into the bordering Baronies region. Pointed, sharp climbs punctuated a day surrounded by untouched wilderness. Crisp river valleys cooled the warming air as we made our way to the medieval fortress village of  Vaison-La-Romain for lunch. We dropped past the vineyard rich saddle of the Dentelles and primed ourselves for the main course the following day.

Day 3, Ventoux Day. This mountain has given me so many memories, I can probably yammer on about it for hours. It is the reason I keep coming back, and the reason why I love bringing people to Provence. We each set off to test ourselves on this day from the classic Bedoin side, and met at the top as a Team. Gilets on and brakes (mostly) working, we slid down the bald mountain into Maulecene to grab lunch and trade our tales of conquest. My 12th ascent was one of the most memorable.

Day 4 was for the tourists. I cobbled together a challenging, but stunning route across the Vaucluse. Having worked as an actual guide years ago, I wanted to take the Team through the classics of Provence. Hilltop villages, historical landmarks, breathtaking natural formations and of course, ice cream. Lunch in Roussillon overlooking the ocre cliffs and a well timed ice cream in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse recharged the batteries on this penultimate day. 

Day 5, the grand finale. With our Stages Dash computers loaded up to guide us, we set off  for the biggest and last day of the trip. A morning transfer to Sault is where the ride would depart. We careened eastward across the open plateau toward baby Ventoux, the Montagne de Lure. Though it is 4km’s shorter in distance, this forgotten mountain holds your lungs and legs hostage on 8-9 percent gradients for much of the climb. The 30c temperatures only added to the final challenge. After the summit, we descended into Saint-Étienne-les-Orgues for a sandwhich just in time to see a small Pro bike race buzz through town. We returned to Sault to finish our adventure for the week and grab one final ice cream in the center of town.