Cap de Formentor, at Mallorca’s northern tip, is one of the most spectacular coastal roads in the Balearics: from Port de Pollença, the MA-2210 climbs and dips along cliffs above the Mediterranean all the way to the lighthouse at the end of the peninsula. It’s a demanding ride because of the exposure and the tourist traffic, but one considered unmissable by visiting cyclists — pro teams on winter training camp included.
A road that climbs all the way to the edge of the island
From Port de Pollença, expect around 17.2 km and 490 m of cumulative climbing to the lighthouse, spread across several ramps rather than one continuous ascent. The first, the Coll de Sa Creueta, climbs for about 3.3 km at a 6-8% average through a series of hairpins overlooking Pollença Bay. Around 11 km of rolling terrain and short punchy climbs above the cliffs follow, before a tunnel cut through the rock and a final ramp of tight hairpins — with pitches up to 12% — that opens onto the lighthouse, perched over 200 m above the sea.
Getting the ride right
The road is narrow, without a hard shoulder for much of its length, and shared during the day with the tour coaches that run out to the lighthouse: the real hazard on this ride isn’t the gradient but the traffic, especially in the hairpins where visibility is limited. A compact or triple is plenty for the 12% ramps near the top; managing traffic and wind — which can turn fierce on the final stretch — matters as much as the climbing itself. About 4 km in, don’t skip the short walk to Mirador Es Colomer, a vertigo-inducing viewpoint well worth the stop.
When to go
The road is rideable year-round thanks to Mallorca’s mild climate, which is exactly why several pro teams, including Sky and later Ineos Grenadiers, have long based winter training camps around Port de Pollença and Port d’Alcúdia in January. Visiting cyclists, though, are better off aiming for spring (April to June) or the shoulder season (September to November), when temperatures stay pleasant without the heat or crowds of high summer. Whatever the season, setting off early — before 8am — remains the best way to dodge both the heat and the coaches.
Good to know
From mid-May to mid-October, private vehicles are banned from the road between 10am and 10pm to ease congestion on the peninsula — a restriction that, if anything, works in cyclists’ favour by sharply cutting car traffic during riding hours (bikes, like scheduled buses, remain allowed at all times). Port de Pollença, a resort town with bike hire shops and accommodation for every budget, is the natural base for this ride, about twenty minutes from Palma airport.