6Points Cycling set to top quarter of a million euros raised for local charities

That man is Bryan Visser, a long time Mallorca resident who was supposed to have retired, but he’s busier than ever as he, and his growing team of volunteers finalise plans for the 2024 event in May.
Thankfully, he found a spare half an hour to get us up to speed, and to extend an invitation to get involved with this growing event.

The spark of the idea came when Bryan saw Mallorca's prestigious 312 event. In the early days it was a 312 KM single day ride around the circumference of the island, Bryan fancied taking his time a bit, so rounded up a small number, six to be precise, of like minded souls to do it in three days, with hotel stops along the way. They raised 4,400 euros, and the wheels were set in motion. They called it the 6Points, after the extreme north, south, east, west, highest and lowest parts of Mallorca that they pass along then road.

Every year since then the event has grown, and evolved. It beat the odds to stage an event during the COVID year when many hotels were closed, and riders couldn´t travel. As the roster of riders registering grew, different routes were added. The super fit cyclists can take on the Everesting route, to climb the equivalent height of the worlds tallest mountain over the three days. For those with a more relaxed ride in mind, the Valles route, take in the back roads and pretty villages, while avoiding the lung busting climbs of the Tramuntana. All roads lead to dinner at carefully selected hotels and a reunion with your luggage, helpfully shuttled to the hotel for you. As the event expands, Bryan has been insistent that the founding ethos of a friendly event remains at its core. “This is not a race” he reminds riders at the start of every ride.

He says “When we started 6Points, one of the things we set out to do was to really listen to what our customers wanted from us, so we run a survey after every event. The committee sits down and looks at every single line item on that survey. That’s the first thing we do the week after the event, as a result, we have changed the route for 2024 to avoid some of the busier roads, and the roadworks on Palma´s Paseo Maritimo, and to take in more of the pretty country roads”

Bryan is a Calvia resident, and the event has been supported financially, and logistically by the Calvia town hall from the very start. Giving back to the local community has been in the 6Points DNA since day one. Bryan has carefully chosen local causes, small organisations that will benefit the most from the money they raise. ASDICA has been a beneficiary for many years. A small foundation in Calvia that helps people with learning disabilities and their families overcome their day-to-day struggles. It’s a small organisation with around 30 members and the donations make an enormous difference to the support they can provide. Yachting Gives Back, and their association with the Shambala Foundation provide support to disadvantaged young people with accommodation and training as government funded care ends when they turn 18.

Bryan is a bit of a soft touch when it comes to animals, he has two very well cared for dogs, so SOS Animals, helps look after, and rehome the waifs and strays of the Calvia municipality and beyond. Bryan explains that with the cost of living pressures over the last couple of years, these charities are finding their donations declining, so they need help now, more than ever. Money comes in from corporate sponsors, and sponsorship raised by the riders. Bryan explains “Not one cent of the donations comes to the 6Points organisation, it is paid to the charities directly”, The number at the bottom of the spreadsheet after last year´s ride was more than 200,000 Euros of total donations since that first ride back in 2017, this year they are on target to cross the quarter of a million mark. Far from resting on his laurels though, Bryan is thinking bigger. Previous years have also seen smaller events, on a similar theme in Minorca and Ibiza, this September they are heading for Tenerife. There is a ladies only event, and monthly rides with a lunch at the destination in the lead up to the big event, and a Land’s End to John O´Groats UK ride in the plans.

The event is organised and run by volunteers who give their time for free, the organising committee, the event makers, the support cars, logistics and luggage transport drivers do it for the love of the event, and to be part of the growing 6Points ´family´, and they come back and do it again year after year.

If you fancy joining the family, there is still time to join this year’s event. There are places still available to ride, and the door is always open for volunteers, and corporate donors. 6Points Mallorca runs from 17-19th May, you´ll find everything you need at 6pointschallenges.com