Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Prev Next
Re: Thoughts on the Mallorca IM [VancouverAmy] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Hi,
here's my mini-review:

Venue:
Mallorca is obviously stunning and the city of Alcudia is a typical nice tourist hot-spot with a nice beach, lots of shops and a wide variety of restaurants. It is on the other side of the island from the airport in Palma, but it is really just a 45 minute Drive in a rental car.

Race organisation:
The German IM-Team did a great job organizing this race. For me everything went smooth. There were no lines at all for registration, check-in or check-out. (I did however try to avoid the times i thought would be busy...). The race briefing(s) (English, German, Spanish) doubled as the welcome party (carbo-loading while listening to da rulz) and where held right on the beach on a beautifully sunny afternoon. Just make sure you get a spot with an umbrella for shade.

The race-course:
SWIM
The swim was beautiful, the water just right for a cosy non-wetsuit swim with great visibility and zero chop. It was a mass-beach-start where you had to run for about 80 feet before the water was deep enough to dive in and start swimming. While we were on the first out-and-back, the sun rose over the ocean. Pretty cool.

BIKE
The bike-course in itself is beautiful, but unfortunately drafting was a huge issue. I had a huge pack infront of me which i couldn't pass, so i just droped back and rode alone at my own rhythm. The major hill comes after 74 mi (120k), but you already gather a lot of climbing in the many smaller hills up to that part. The downhill is not very fast, because it has a lot of switchbacks, but they are all very well visible and the street surface in the more technical parts is excellent. After the main descent there are a couple of miles through smaller towns, where the street is pretty bad and on the last few miles we had quite the headwind.

RUN
Its a dead-flat 4.5-loop-course along the beach. Aid stations are good, but there's not a lot of shade. Crowds where pretty good along the whole course as well.

Summary:
I had a bad experience because of the frustrating drafting and a subsequent mostly heat-related DNF on the run.
That aside, if they can do something against the drafting (assuming the WTC even really wants to try) this could be a really nice race. I would suggest an AG-wave-start and the ride up to Lluc at the beginning rather than the end of the course. Even better: Just do the 70.3 course twice.

if you can read this
YOU'RE DRAFTING!
Last edited by: flogazo: Oct 3, 14 3:45
Quote Reply
Re: Thoughts on the Mallorca IM [VancouverAmy] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I'd agree with most of the above.

Well organized and no queues anywhere for registration, check in and out.

Swim was stunning. Calm, warm water, a mass AG start, what's not to like?

Bike was great. Plenty of climbing, the difference being that in the first half you earned some of the time back with fast descents whereas after the main climb some of the roads were poor (although some had been repaved) with some tight and twisty parts. I went though halfway averaging 36kph and on for a 5 hour split and ended up with a 5:28. It didn't help that the last 10k was into a stiff headwind either.

Drafting was an issue, particularly in the first half and swapping the loops around may well help. In fairness there were referees around and they did show some cards. I was sat behind a group of 10-15 with a motorbike behind me for about 10 minutes before it pulled past and showed most of the group cards. When I got to T2 the penalty box was full.

Overall though it was generally a scenic and fair bike course.

The run was hot! Probably a little unfairly due to the heat I could have done with an extra aid station but that might have just been me and the heat. There was very little shade, a little maybe on the Promenade but none really to speak of. It was generally well supported for most of the course.

Personally I had a decent day rather than anything spectacular. 1:01, 5:28, 3:27 for a 10:04. I like the idea of doing the 70.3 course twice though. That would make it tough and reduce the potential for drafting, as it is though the race could become one of the best IM courses.
Quote Reply
Re: Thoughts on the Mallorca IM [JulianM] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Any thoughts on this as an overall trip/destination/vacation in addition to the race itself.? Since I didn't get the Kona lottery, I am debating seeling the wife on a trip here!
Quote Reply
Re: Thoughts on the Mallorca IM [DFW_Tri] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Mallorca is well worth a visit.

Alcudia where the race is based is nice enough but fairly commercial. Lots to do, restaurants, arcades and the like, pretty family friendly. We stayed in Alcudia for the IM but I have stayed before in Puerto Pollenca for a cycling week, quieter, less commercial and nicer IMO. A group from my cycling club are currently enjoying a bit of winter riding in the sun at the moment, not that I'm jealous or anything.

My wife and I were in Alcudia for the race but stayed for 5 days afterwards and with a hire car you can get around easily. The hills in the North are well worth seeing, Lluc, the road down to Sa Colabra although that's better on the bike. We spent a day in Puerto Soller which was in a really pretty little place and another day on the other side of the Island in Cala Ratjada, another nice little Port with shops and restaurants.

The old town of Palma is also well worth a visit. We weren't planning to go there but had a bit of time to kill before the flight home and were glad we did.
Quote Reply
Re: Thoughts on the Mallorca IM [JulianM] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Thanks for the info!
Last edited by: DFW_Tri: Mar 17, 15 17:39
Quote Reply

Prev Next