Coll de sa Batalla

Coll de sa Batalla is the most popular way into the Tramuntana mountains from the middle of the island, and the climb most visiting cyclists ride first.

This route starts in Selva and rolls a couple of kilometres to Caimari, where the climb begins. From there the road winds up through pine and holm oak woods for about 8 km at a 5 % average, gaining a little over 400 m. It never gets much steeper than 6 % and eases off about two-thirds of the way up: it is a climb you can pace, which makes it a good test of how your legs are on the first days of a trip.

At the top, at about 580 m, the café next to the petrol station is a classic stop for cyclists.

From the col the route does not go to the Lluc monastery. It heads north towards Pollença, mostly downhill with a few short rises, about 125 m of climbing in total. It then crosses to Port de Pollença, follows the coast to Alcúdia and finishes a little further south at L’Epicerie, 47 km in all and about 590 m of climbing.

This is a point-to-point route, so plan how you will get back to the start. Take a jacket for the descent, as it can feel cool even on a warm day after the effort of the climb.