THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW
BUILD THE ENGINE.
Sixteen weeks out, your job is volume. Forget intervals. Forget Strava. Build the aerobic engine that every later phase sits on top of. 80% of your time should be in Zone 2 — conversational pace, nose-breathing territory. If your base phase feels easy, you're doing it right.
THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION
THE LONG Z2 RIDE
One 3-4 hour steady Zone 2 ride per week. Flat to rolling route. Cadence 85-95rpm. Heart rate below first ventilatory threshold the whole way. This is where your mitochondrial density grows.
EVENT INTEL
WHAT THE MALLORCA 312 ACTUALLY DEMANDS
The Mallorca 312 is spring's most talked-about sportive — 312km around Mallorca with 5,000m+ of climbing, including Sa Calobra, the iconic hairpin-laced descent-then-climb that defines the day. Runs in late April. Open-road format, closed to traffic in parts.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
- ✓Sa Calobra — 10km descent into the sea then 10km climb back out, 7% average
- ✓Coll de Sóller tunnel + classic north-coast climbs stacked early
- ✓312km distance means fuelling strategy determines who finishes
- ✓Three distance options: 312km, 225km, 167km — pick realistically
- ✓Weather shift from cold morning climbs to afternoon Mediterranean heat
COMMON MISTAKES
- ✕Choosing the 312 because you've done other long sportives — Mallorca's combination of distance + heat is different
- ✕Underfuelling the first 80km because the climbing starts easy
- ✕Forgetting the Sa Calobra climb is a 9% average, not a gentle return — many riders bonk here
PACING
The 312 is a fueling problem more than a fitness one. Pace the opening 100km at 60-65% FTP maximum. Ride the middle 100km conservatively with strict carb/fluid discipline. The last 100km is where preparation shows — those who fuelled correctly can even push. The Sa Calobra climb is at 220km — arrive with reserves, not red-lined.
FUELLING
10+ hours means 80g carbs/hour minimum, 100g if gut-trained. 500-750ml fluid/hour once the heat kicks in. Food at every aid station on the route — don't skip any. Electrolytes become dominant after hour 6. A 'second breakfast' at the Pollença aid stop (km 80) is a classic move.
KIT
Long-finger gloves + gilet for the first two hours (cold on the climbs pre-dawn). 34x30 minimum, 34x32 recommended for Sa Calobra late in the day. Extra bottle cages or a frame bag for the long desert-like middle section.
WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?
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OTHER PHASES FOR THE MALLORCA 312