Smashing the Event! Your Mallorca M312 Training Plan Revealed

Every year in April, thousands of amateur cyclists descend on the beautiful Balearic island of Mallorca for one of the biggest cycling events on the amateur circuit. The Mallorca M312!

It is an epic ride that offers some significant climbing challenges. Every one of the three routes takes you through most of the Tramuntana Mountain Range, and the M312 and M225 provide more opportunities to climb as well as a greater distance.

To conquer the Mallorca M312 you need to approach it on a physical and mental level. The endurance challenge dominates but you need the focus to train and on the day itself, you need to bring it all together so you can cross the finish line and get your medal.

Check out our Mallorca M312 packages.

As hard as it is, equipped with a solid training plan, commitment, the right focus, and the desire to cross the finish line, you have everything you need to ride this glorious event. The challenge offered is epic, and you’re probably getting excited about taking it on.

Not only is the event fantastic, but it also makes for the perfect Mallorca cycling holiday.

With this in mind, let’s get you on the right road with a comprehensive training plan and guide to the Mallorca M312.

The Mallorca M312 sells out every year. You'll be riding in an 8,500 strong peloton!

SportActive's Pro Coaches

Martin & Derek have years of Mallorca M312 experience

Our twenty-year coaching veterans Martin and Derek, have put their heads together to bring you a training plan and guide to conquering Europe’s longest amateur sportive. They have heaps of Mallorca M312 experience to boot!

The training plan can be used for any major cycling event such as the mighty Marmotte Granfondo Alps!

Things to Know About the Mallorca M312 Sportive

The Mallorca M312 Sportive 2025 edition is slated for the 26th April 2025. The event is limited to 8,500 entries which sold out a few hours after the event opened. This happens every year. If you haven’t managed to snag an entry for next year, you can join the waiting list or go with a recognised M312 tour operator such as SportActive Cycling. You can check out our packages by clicking the link: Mallorca M312 sportive.

You have a choice of three routes. They are:

Mallorca M312km
Mallorca M225km
Mallorca M167km

On the big day, you can switch route mid-ride. So, if you’re aiming for the M225 but finding the day a struggle, you can switch to the M167 and get your finisher medal. And vice versa.

If you’re new to the event, we advise you start with the M167 and work your way up each year. It is good to have targets after all.

All three Mallorca M312 routes involve plenty of climbing!

Time Limits of the Mallorca M312

All the Mallorca M312 routes have time restrictions: They are:

M312km Route:

Start time 6:30 am.
Cut-off Point 1: At 97 km (approx. 60 miles) by 11:15 am.
Cut-off Point 2: At 220 km (approx. 137 miles) by 4:30 pm.
Finish Cut-off: The entire 312 km route must be completed by 8:40 pm, giving you roughly 14 hours from the start at 6:30 am.

M225km Route:

Start time 6:30 am.
Cut-off Point 1: At 97 km (approx. 60 miles) by 11:15 am.
Finish Cut-off: Must be completed by 5:00 pm, giving you around 10 hours to ride it.

M167 km Route:

Start time 6:30 am.
Cut-off Point 1: At 98 km (approx. 61 miles) by 11:30 am.
Finish Cut-off: Must be completed by 5:00 pm, giving you around 10 hours to ride it.

Should you miss a cut-off time or are overtaken by the ‘end of race’ vehicle you’re removed from the event and your timing chip deactivated. Needless to say, no finisher medal for you.

If you’re going for the full distance, an average speed of 22km/h (14mph) is required to beat the 14-hour deadline. Some parts of the route are more challenging than others, and stopping at feed stations can slow you down considerably.

If you’re aiming for the full distance, most cyclists are at the start line around 5:00 am. Should you not be at the start line for 6:30 am regardless of route, you won’t be allowed to take part. So be punctual.

It is advised to get to the start line early regardless of route. It is not unheard of for cyclists to lose 40 minutes at the start of the race simply due to the volume of riders and jostling to get to the front.

Challenges of the Mallorca M312/M225/M167

The challenges of the event are as follows:

Endurance – The Mallorca M312 is an immense endurance challenge. The 167 km route is the lesser of the three but even here the endurance challenge is immense.
Climbing – The M312 and M225 have over 5000m of climbing. Although the gradients aren’t French Alps level, they are by no means easy. So gaining some climbing experience is strongly advised.
Pacing – It is very easy to get swept away in the 8,500-strong peloton and pace too fast, especially at the start of the event. Try and maintain a steady manageable pace that conserves energy for the climbs to come.
With this in mind, it is important to perfect your food timings to get you over the finish line.
Weather – Given the early start time, it can feel a little cold before the sun rises around 7 am. As such, layers are advised so you can regulate your temperature throughout the race.
Mindset – In the training leading up to the event and during it having a strong focus and having a positive attitude is crucial to a successful day.
Group riding – With 8,500 riders, natural pelotons break out all the time. Riding in a group is very different to riding with a few friends where you all know each other, or riding on your own. During your training, try and perfect your group riding skills. This resource may help you to get started; Group Riding Pro Tips for Better Training.
Time – See cut-off points above. Typically, time is unnecessarily lost at the start and at feed stations. The general advice for feed stations is to get what you need and get back on the saddle ASAP.
Strategy – To ride an event of this magnitude, having an idea of how you are going to ride the race is vital, and working this out is a challenge in of itself. Familiarise yourself with the route and work out where you can save energy for the climbs. Another useful thing to do is to find out where the feed stations are located. A lot of time can be wasted at the feed stations and in this event, you can’t afford to lose time.

Read as much about the event as you can and absorb the information. You can get a good picture of what it is like on the day through the experiences of others.

The following training plan is designed to begin in October. If you’re starting training say in November adjust accordingly.

You can't help but be swept away by that big event feel

Mallorca M312/M225/M167 Training Plan

Given the time of year, a fair proportion of your training may well be indoors. We have a comprehensive turbo training programme which you’ll find here: Indoor Road Cycling Training Programme.

You can spruce up your training by using training apps such as Zwift.

Your training is split by month. If we take a month to be four weeks, the fourth week should be treated as a recovery week.

During your training, it is essential to perfect your food timings. This resource: The Right Food for the Right Ride – Determine Your Cycling Nutrition will help get you started.

Finally, the value of recovery should never be underestimated. This resource 8 Pro Recovery Tips to Enhance your Cycling Career explains why.

October - Base Building Phase (Weeks 1-4)

Goals:

Establish a solid aerobic foundation.
Build up volume gradually.
Focus on consistency and endurance.

Weekly Structure:

3-4 rides per week with a mix of low-intensity endurance rides and recovery.
Duration: Start with 1-2 hour rides, gradually increasing to 2-3 hour weekend rides.
Example Week:

Monday: Rest or active recovery (light stretching or yoga).
Tuesday: 1.5-hour endurance ride at Training Zone 2 (60-70% of max heart rate).
Wednesday: 1-hour recovery ride or cross-training (swimming, light gym work).
Thursday: 1.5-hour endurance ride.
Friday: Rest day.
Saturday: 2-3 hour endurance ride at moderate intensity Training Zones 2-3 (65-75% max heart rate).
Sunday: 1-hour recovery spin.

Useful resources:

November - Base Building & Strength (Weeks 5-8)

Goals:

Increase endurance and start introducing strength work.
Concentrate on rolling terrain.

Weekly Structure:

4-5 rides per week: Increase the duration of long rides and introduce more specific strength work.
Duration: Increase long rides to 3-5 hours, including hill sessions.

Example Week:

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: 2-hour ride, focus on sustained efforts at moderate intensity.
Wednesday: 1-hour strength work (gym or bodyweight exercises for legs, core).
Thursday: 1.5-hour ride at moderate intensity.
Friday: Rest or 1-hour recovery ride.
Saturday: 3-4 hour ride with rolling terrain.
Sunday: 1-hour recovery ride or light cross-training.

Useful resources:

2 Cycle Training Techniques to Adopt When Short on Time

December - Build Phase (Weeks 9-12)

Goals:

Start incorporating more intensity.
Focus on longer rides over undulating terrain.

Weekly Structure:

5 rides per week: Build endurance and start including tempo/threshold efforts.
Duration: Long rides should now be up to 5-6 hours, with a focus on climbing and sustained efforts.

Example Week:

Monday: Rest.

Tuesday: 2-hour ride with 3x10 minutes at tempo Training Zones 3-4 (75-85% max heart rate).

Wednesday: 1.5-hour endurance ride.

Thursday: 2-hour ride over rolling terrain.

Friday: Rest or light recovery spin.

Saturday: 3-hour endurance ride over rolling terrain.

Sunday: 1-hour recovery spin.

Resources:

Welcome to the Road Cycling World of High Intensity Interval Training

January - Peak Build (Weeks 13-16)

Goals:

Start including race-specific intensity and longer efforts.
Continue building endurance while sustained efforts.

Weekly Structure:

5-6 rides per week: Increase intensity and focus on climbing.

Example Week:

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: 2-hour ride with 4x10 minutes at threshold (85-90% max heart rate).
Wednesday: 2-hour endurance ride.
Thursday: 1.5 hour endurace ride
Friday: Rest or 1-hour recovery ride.
Saturday: 5-6 hour long ride over rolling terrain.
Sunday: 1-hour recovery spin.

February - Pre-Event Specific (Weeks 17-20)

Goals:

Simulate the demands of the Mallorca M312.
Include longer rides practice nutrition.

Weekly Structure:

5-6 rides per week: Include back-to-back long rides and specific intensity work.

Introduce climbnig

Example Week:

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: 2-hour ride with 3x20 minutes at tempo.
Wednesday: 1.5-hour endurance ride with climbing.
Thursday: 1.5-hour endurance ride with climbing.
Friday: Rest.
Saturday: 4-5 hour long ride including nutrition practice over rolling terrain.
Sunday: 3-hour endurance ride at a comfortable pace.

Resources

10 Tips to Climb Stronger and Faster

March - Taper Phase (Weeks 21-24)

Goals:

Reduce volume but maintain intensity.
Focus on recovery and sharpening.

Weekly Structure:

4-5 rides per week: Shorter at moderate tempo.

Example Week:

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: 1.5-hour ride with short threshold efforts.
Wednesday: 1-hour endurance ride.
Thursday: 1.5-hour endurance ride.
Friday: Rest.
Saturday: 3-hour endurance ride over rolling terrain
Sunday: 1-hour recovery spin.

April - Final Preparation (Weeks 25-26)

Goals:

Stay fresh and recover fully for the race.
Include only light rides with a focus on recovery and mental preparation.

Example Week:

Monday: Rest.
Tuesday: 1-hour endurance ride.
Wednesday: 1-hour ride with light efforts.
Thursday: 1-hour recovery ride.
Friday: Rest.
Saturday: 1-hour easy spin.
Sunday: Rest.

Key Points:

Prioritise rest and recovery, especially after long rides or intense efforts.
Practice race nutrition during long rides to fine-tune your energy intake and hydration strategy.
Stay consistent but flexible; adjust the plan if needed based on how you feel or external factors like weather.

Riding With an Approved Mallorca M312 Tour Operator

If you consider the time and effort that goes into preparing for this event, the logistics of booking your race entry, picking up your race number, booking your hotel, and getting your bike set up in Mallorca, are all issues you don't need.

Why not let an official Mallorca M312 tour operator take the strain, such as SportActive Cycling? We have years of experience at riding the event, know how to ride it and pass on all the strategy advice you’ll ever need to smash it.

As well as this, we provide training rides prior to the big day, and we get your race number, M312 jersey and other than turning the pedals take care of everything else.

Improvement and Performance Cycling Holiday

To help your training and to get valuable Mallorca M312 training experience, SportActive's Improvement & Performance Cycling Holiday is a great option. Not only will you get the know-how for big endurance rides but the Mallorca M312/M225/M167 Mountain Day, follows the same route across the Tramuntana Range in all three routes. It's invaluable not just for the Mallorca M312 but for any great cycling endurance challenges.

You’ll be able to measure yourself riding a section of the course, where you’ll be able to test your endurance, food timings, climbing, and bike handling skills. It’s simply a must tour if you have big cycling events coming up.

Final Thoughts

Above all, come the big day, enjoy it. The Mallorca M312 is truly a wonderful experience and you should savour every view, every climb, and the buzz of riding in huge pelotons with every mile you ride.

The Mallorca M312 is truly a bucket list event. Make the most of it, train well and ride well on the big day. Good luck!

Crossing the finish line is a brilliant achievement!

Submitted: 28/10/24