On the menu for day 2 were two more 'must do's' of Mallorca: the Coll de Sa Batalla and coffee at the Repsol garage. I'd been told that the Batalla is one of the prettiest climbs on the island and, with it's wooded slopes, it seemed to be the ideal time to tick this off the list on a hot and windy day.
I set off solo (cousin Steve's back was playing him up) on the 'golf course' route to the Batalla. This turned into 25km of virtually traffic free riding. Marvellous!
Arriving at Selva the route turned north, which took me out of the head wind which had been constant up to that point and, after a brief photo stop I dropped into Caimari to start the Batalla. I knew I had started the climb because there was a sign telling me had - something I love about road climbs in Europe!
In no time at all I was enjoying the many hairpins of the climb whilst trying to perform a balancing act of posting a decent time and also taking in the incredible views. Speed is gained in the middle bit which levels off, before the road ramps up again to the summit and the welcome sight of the Repsol sign.
The Batalla Repsol garage is on one of THE café stops on the island (maybe it is THE one!?) as it is at the meeting point of 3 iconic roads. Two of the roads being iconic climbs (Batalla and Femenia) with the third being the road that leads on to Sa Colabra. You simply have to stop here and, to save you from having to ask, the Repsol shirts worn by the staff are not for sale. A huge marketing opportunity missed, in my opinion!
After coffee (I didn't have the apple pie - something I would later regret) I set off down the Femenia for my first big Mallorcan descent, and once again the TCR hire bike did not disappoint - it was on rails and with the wind behind me I felt like the legendary TT rider Fabian Cancellara on the flatter bottom sections. Free speed!
I headed into Pollenca for a spot of lunch at La Scalinata with my family, thus bringing an end to a morning of quiet roads, a beautiful climb, an iconic café stop, an exhilarating descent and a very, very nice lunch.
Can this holiday get any better?
