As we make our way into October, and for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere the cold autumnal weather starts to blow in, the summer race season might already feel like a distance memory. But if you’re chomping at the bit for one last start line before the year is out – Challenge Peguera-Mallorca is one of the most popular late season middle distance triathlons going.
Need convincing, or want back up to convince your significant other/training buddies that the only answer to whether or not you should all book a last minute flight to Palma de Mallorca is ‘yes’? We’ve got you covered. There are plenty of reasons that you should race Challenge Mallorca… but here’s our top five.
The ultimate challenge to finish up your race season
The course at Challenge Peguera-Mallorca is spectacular – and challenging. It’s the perfect opportunity for you to really make the most of all that swimming, biking and running you’ve been doing over the summer months. The swim starts from the beautiful Playa de Torà beach, with the two lap course meaning nervous sea swimmers can rest assured they’re never that far from the shore.
The bike course takes you on a tour of some of the best scenery the area has to offer, from popular beach towns to the impressive foothills of the Serra de la Tramuntana World Heritage site. With around 1000m of elevation, the bike is hilly enough to test your legs but not so brutal that you can’t enjoy it. You’ll finish your day with a run through the heart of Peguera, combining boulevards, boardwalks and stunning beach views.
This tough but rewarding course is the best way to finish your race season feeling strong. The perfect motivation to help you through the winter months to follow!
Superb race experience
Challenge Family have earned themselves a reputation as a race-organiser who always place the athletes first – age-groupers and PROs alike. And that’s demonstrated nicely by the team behind Challenge Peguera-Mallorca. In 2022, they changed the swim course to a 2-lap format off the back of participant feedback. The new course now provides a better atmosphere and experience for spectators, and improves athlete safety.
In 2024, the bike course has also been updated to remove a 24km stretch which had been identified as posing risks. The 2 x 45km lap course features a new route through the areas of Magaluf, Nova Santa Ponça, and Santa Ponça, including iconic locations such as the Les Illes Malgrats viewpoint and the Via de la Cruz in Santa Ponça. The narrow section between the village of Calvia and the road leading to Coll des Tords has been taken out.
This taking on board of athlete feedback and commitment to providing the best possible race experience means you can head to the start line with confidence that you’re going to be well looked after.
Race-cation
Autumn/fall is on it’s way, and if the thought of months on end of cold, wet weather is giving you the heebie-jeebies more than any Halloween horror movie ever could – this is your sign to book a last minute race-cation to Mallorca.
Challenge Peguera-Mallorca takes place in the Calvia region, on the west of the island. Along with an incredible race day experience, you can also look forward to sun, sea and activities for all the family. Peguera itself is a bit of a sporting haven, with everything from hiking and quad biking to diving and windsurfing on offer.
Escape the impending autumn and top up those vitamin D levels one last time to see yourself through the winter months.
Explore a different part of Mallorca
Mallorca has long been known as a go-to destination for cycling. But if you’ve been before, it’s likely you’ve veered towards the Northern region of the island around Pollensa to tick off the famous Sa Calobra climb. Racing at Challenge Peguera-Mallorca will give you the opportunity to explore the west coast of Mallorca and perhaps discover some new favourite routes along the way.
With its stunning beaches, peaceful coves and of course the incredible UNESCO World Heritage listed Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range – known as the ‘backbone’ of the island – to explore. Peguera calls itself the home of triathlon in Mallorca, and it’s not hard to see why. Think of the race as the ultimate recce for your next early season training camp location!
Race alongside the PROs
Challenge Peguera-Mallorca is one of the last races in the PRO calendar where PRO athletes can earn vital points to improve their standings in the long-running Challenge Family Pro Athletes World Bonus table. And that means it always draws in a big PRO field. Last year we saw Alistair Brownlee take to the start line, alongside the likes of Youri Keulen, Rico Bogen and Mathis Margirier in the men’s race. And Imogen Simmonds, Lucy Buckingham and Laura Madsen in the women’s race.
2024 promises to be another bumper edition of Challenge Peguera-Mallorca, with a huge PRO field set to line up on the beach on race morning, including Jonny Brownlee and Lisa Norden. That means a buzzing race weekend atmosphere is pretty much guaranteed!
Convinced you need to add ‘book Challenge Peguera-Mallorca’ to your to-do list? Read our race guide for more details on the course, travel and what to do during your post-race vacation.
