Duel 1: the two classics Mallorca vs La Palma
Mallorca (Spain) - Photo above
Air transport connections like the urban S-Bahn network, almond blossom in January, affordable fincas and delicious food - the Balearic island is Germany's favourite cycling destination. At least among racing cyclists looking for ice-free mountain roads for basic training. Away from the tarmac bends on Mallorca, however, you quickly come up against limits in the form of private property fences. Some landowners just want to collect road tolls, others are terrifyingly serious about excluding bikers. It is therefore worth hiring a bike guide on the island. They know how to get around these key points, know the most beautiful trails and know where to find refreshment stops that are open in winter. Because after the German autumn holidays, most tourist restaurants on Mallorca close until Easter. A certain amount of insider knowledge is therefore necessary to have a good time on the island in winter - and a good riding technique!
Tour information: Possible on your own: Mega Trail Mallorca, a 240 km and 8000 m long, technically demanding tour through the Tramuntana mountains. Information and GPS data at www.megatrails.com
Guided tours: e.g. at www.rad-international.de, www.roxybikes.de, www.m-bike.com, www.vamos24.com
PLUS Mallorca is served by several flights a day from Germany, and the flight only takes two hours.
MINUS Many restaurants and shops are closed from November to Easter. It can also get cold and wet.
La Palma (Spain)
Mallorca is five times the size of La Palma in terms of area. But the Canary Island is almost twice as high. On the one hand, this makes for a mostly sunny west side of the island, but above all for significantly longer descents. And that is exactly what attracts so many mountain bikers to La Palma every winter. Here, the downhill trails start at the top of the extinct volcanic crater rim and only end at the very bottom on the black lava sand beach. In between, there is an hour-long trail descent on volcanic ash, over sharp-edged lava rock, through laurel and pine forests and finally on rough cobbled paths with sea views. The ascents would be correspondingly exhausting if you were to pedal up them yourself. Here too, it is therefore worth booking a package including a shuttle at a bike station. Or use the La Palma-Freeride taxi app (see tour information), which allows you to be shuttled independently. In contrast to Mallorca, La Palma is in high season in winter, but there is no pub crawl. Conclusion: Ambitious trail bikers are much better off on La Palma.
Tour information: Tour book that is constantly updated online: "Mountainbike-Guide La Palma" by R. Schanze and S. Schüler. Book, information and GPS data are available from www.mtb-lapalma.com
Guided tours: e.g. www.atlantic-cycling.com, www.lapalmafreeride.com (with taxi app), www.bikenfun.de, www.bike-station.de, www.magic-bike-lapalma.com
PLUS Should the weather change - all peaks over 2000 metres above sea level pierce through the clouds. Exotic landscape!
MINUS A shuttle or hire car is always required to access the trails. It is often freezing cold at the summit.
Duel 2: Cyprus and Sicily are among the largest and southernmost islands in the Mediterranean. The temperatures should be just right. Their touring potential: still plenty of room for explorers.
Cyprus (Greece/Turkey)
17 degrees in February. But not the air temperature, but the water temperature! The easternmost and third largest Mediterranean island is heated by the desert winds of the Arabian Peninsula. Rainy days are just as rare here as an encounter with another mountain biker in the island's mountains. Unless, of course, you are travelling to the Sunshine Cup at the end of February. Then you are likely to meet the world elite of cross-country sport on tour. The racers have been competing here for the first four-day UCI performance test of the season for 17 years. Hobby bikers can also compete with the pros here. Those who want to take it easy can do their own laps along the coast or on the gravel bends through the lonely Troodos Mountains. The trails climb up to an altitude of almost 2000 metres and - in keeping with the desert climate - usually offer a treeless view of the Mediterranean. Trails are rare on Cyprus. At most, there are a few rocky paths with steps and sand pans along the coast that require skilful riding manoeuvres. Otherwise, the island is mainly suitable for soaking up the sun and kilometres.
Tour information: Cyprus is still something of an explorer's paradise. There are no good maps, but there are local guides who have posted a few tours on outdooractive.com. Tip: Trans-Cyprus, a guided 7-stage tour along the north coast. Info: www.zypernbike.de
Cyprus Sunshine Cup, 21-24 February 2019, www.cyclingcy.com
PLUS Weather safety, tranquillity and sea with bathing temperatures. Vitamins in the form of pomegranates and oranges straight from the tree.
MINUS The pure riding fun, including technical challenges, is quite short on Cyprus. Barren landscape, a little monotonous in the long run.
Sicily (Italy)
It is the largest island in the Mediterranean, with the highest volcano in Europe. But Mount Etna is sliding. Scientists recently presented a study according to which the volcano's summit structure is too heavy. The mountain is in danger of sinking downwards and, as a result, eventually collapsing towards the sea. That alone would be reason enough to pay a visit to the trails on the constantly steaming volcanic flanks beforehand. The cable car and shuttle will help you uphill, and the Etnariders guides know the turn-offs to the most spectacular ash trails. But the north coast of Sicily also has a few exciting laps to offer. Around Cefalù, you tour through the Monti Nebrodi and Monti Madonie, which are only half as high. The ups and downs are on gravel roads through the wild orchards of Sicily, where every now and then a beautiful single trail branches off with views of the sea and snow-covered mountains. After heavy rainfall, however, these trails turn into sticky mud slides. The points for scenery and trails clearly go to Sicily. In terms of warmth and guaranteed sunshine, Cyprus comes out on top.
Tour information: The best starting points for bikers are the town of Cefalù on the north coast, tour information at Bike-Station Kalura, www.bikestation-kalura.de and Catania on Mount Etna. The Etnariders guides know their way around here best (with shuttle bus), info: www.etnariders.it
PLUS Spectacular, varied landscapes, exciting trails and beautiful towns for shopping and eating out.
MINUS If you're unlucky, Mount Etna is bubbling so strongly that the trails are closed. Longer periods of rain are possible.
Duel 3: If you've always wondered where enduro racers actually get their spring fitness from - many spend the winter on the exotic trail wonders of Madeira and the Azores.
Azores (Portugal)
The nine volcanic islands lie to the north-west of Madeira, exactly in the centre of the Atlantic. The largest of these, Sao Miguel, is somewhat smaller than Madeira, but the landscape is at least as exciting. Here too, volcanoes once piled up a steep rocky backdrop, which is now overgrown with lush greenery. At the summit, the view sweeps freely over a deep blue crater lake and valley furrows that taper off sharply towards the sea. If you follow the trails downhill, you are swallowed up by jungle-like forests and only spit out again in the next village after a sporting challenge with wet roots, low-hanging lianas, thorns, cacti and hand-scooped drops. Modelled on Madeira, a local enduro scene has established itself on the two easternmost Azores of Sao Miguel and Santa Maria (half the size of Elba). Shuttle vehicles are already part of the normal traffic pattern, as are bikers with pickaxes and shovels on their rucksacks. Overall, Madeira has the greater trail potential. However, the Azores also attract visitors with their beaches and music festivals.
Tour information: There is no trail map or tour book for the Azores. It is best to book an all-inclusive week with five days on Sao Miguel plus two days on Santa Maria. This also includes the shuttle journeys and the 15-minute flight to Santa Maria. Info: www.azoresadventureislands.com, www.smatur.pt
PLUS The trails are not yet as busy as on Madeira, and there are sandy beaches for swimming and surfing.
MINUS The mountains and number of trails are only half as high as in Madeira. The flights are more expensive and only go via Lisbon in winter.
Madeira (Portugal)
There's a reason why so many enduro-savvy Brits spend their free time on Madeira in winter. The famous "flower island" in the Atlantic has developed into a kind of trail centre in recent years. Natural trails wind down the mountain slopes all over the island. The local freeriders sometimes only tinker lightly with a shovel, sometimes they help out with a saw. Only the rocky ridges in the summit region are off-limits to bikers. As a result, the island's trail network grows by several exciting kilometres every year. However, these are more of the "challenging" variety. If you want to have fun on Madeira's diverse network of trails, you should be able to handle steep slopes, damp root carpets, blocked rocky trails and steps with confidence. On some descents, a short downpour is enough to turn the ground into soft soap. Speaking of weather: the spring temperatures are safe, but unfortunately so is the likelihood of showers.
Tour information: Enduro race "Trans Madeira", the highlight of the year from 11 to 12 May 2019: 5 days, 200 kilometres and 30 stages. Info: www.trans-madeira.com
The best GPS data, tour guides and shuttle services are available from Bikulture and Freeride Madeira, www.freeridemadeira.com
PLUS Good infrastructure for bikers thanks to a dedicated local enduro scene. Extremely varied trails.
MINUS Few trails are suitable for beginners, changeable weather and: very adventurous airport runway!
You can find this article in BIKE 12/2018. You can read the entire digital edition in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or the print edition in the DK shop reorder - while stocks last:
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
