July 07, 2026
By Jordi Cantal (Translated from Catalan)
The bicycle has always been linked to my life. As a child, it was synonymous with games and freedom; during adolescence, it meant adventure; and today, it is the ideal therapy for disconnecting from the daily routine as a firefighter.
Almost every type of bicycle has taken me on this journey: BMX, mountain bikes, road bikes, cyclocross, and finally, the gravel bike. Each one has represented a different stage of my life, even though many have coexisted at the same time.
I had ridden for sport, fitness, discovery of landscapes and places, and, above all, to meet people, as there are few mediums as good as riding for making friends. When the road allows it, the kilometers pass without notice while you’re immersed in a conversation with your riding partner.
I have spent many hours in the saddle, shared many rides, and have been lucky enough to talk with a diverse range of people. It is in these conversations where you often learn the most: diverse ways of seeing life, experiences, history, cultures and environments…. There is always someone who leaves a mark on you.
One of these people has been Michael Barry, a former professional cyclist, with who I have been fortunate to share many kilometres. We first met in a the square in Girona while our young children were playing. He was living there with his family while he raced professionally. Our families became close friends and we started riding together often. Since then, we have spent countless hours on the roads and gravel tracks discovering new places and chatting about everything from our family life to Catalan history. With time, he taught me a lot about riding, but even more about how to understand this sport and life.
In one of those long conversations, he told me about an adventure his father and a friend had done back in the 1980s: the Raid Pyrénéen. The challenge consisted of crossing the entire Pyrenees, from Hendaye to Cerbère, in less than one hundred hours. His father managed it twice, in 1981 and in the year 2000.
That story captivated me and planted a small seed inside me which grew into a goal. The Raid was noted on my bucket list of pending challenges, waiting for its moment.
Years passed, our kids grew into adults, our hair turned grey, Michael left professional cycling and joined the family business in Canada, dedicated to manufacturing handcrafted bicycles, yet the Raid remained an unachieved goal. Despite the distance, our friendship has remained intact and, over time, I have ordered several custom-made bikes from him. In a way, I was excited to face this challenge with a bicycle built by a friend who, without knowing it, had been responsible for keeping the dream of riding the Raid alive.
And, finally, this July the day arrived.
Tuesday, June 30th
At eleven in the morning, I met my good friend Miquel, who is also a firefighter, at the Girona train station to pack the bikes for the trip. To travel with the bikes on the train we had to remove the front wheel, lower the seat, and fit it all inside giant plastic bags.
At 11:30, the train to Barcelona left. We made a two-hour layover there, which we took advantage of to have a quiet lunch. At 14:30, we caught the train to San Sebastián, where we arrived at 21:35 with a slight delay.
We assembled the bikes and pedaled five kilometers to the hotel–an ideal way to spin out the legs after the journey and to check that everything is working correctly. For dinner, a curiosity: a freshly made pizza... coming out of a vending machine. Surprisingly good.
By midnight, we were in bed. The next day, the alarm would go off long before the sun came up.
Day 1 - Hendaye - Argelès-Gazost
The alarm sounded at 4:30. We had breakfast and rode to Hendaye—fifteen kilometers that served to warm up the legs.
At 5:47, we took the official photograph in front of the sea. From there, the Raid Pyrénéen begins for real.
5:47 Hendaye
The first kilometers pass between small mountain passes and roads with more traffic than I would like. The sky is partly cloudy, and the temperature is pleasant. Stops were kept to a minimum: refilling bottles, buying something to eat. The goal is to keep on moving so that we can cover distance quickly. Of course, we also want to enjoy the countryside and experience and ensure our safety on the roads so we will stop to sleep and rest when we feel it is needed.
6:46 Azkaine
7:02 Col de Saint Ignace
In Laruns, I stop to buy some long-fingered gloves. Mistakenly, I left mine at home, and in the Pyrenees, you never know when you will need them as the weather can change quickly, even in the peak of summer.
10:55 Col d'Osquish
14:30 Col d'Aubisque
In the early afternoon, the big mountain pass of the day arrives: the Aubisque. Each of us climb at our own pace. We take a mandatory photo at the summit, and then continue on toward the Soulor. After a long descent, we arrive in the small town of Argelès-Gazost, where we will spend the night.
17:30 Col du Solour
We have dinner at the hotel, and by nine-thirty, we are already asleep.
Data for the day:
- 254 km
- 4,127 m of elevation gain
- 11 h 39 min pedalling
- Average of 21.9 km/h
-
12 h 58 min total time (1 h 19 min of stops)
Day 2 - Argelès-Gazost - Biert
Today brings one of the most demanding stages.
We get up at 3:30. The hotel left breakfast ready for us, which saves a lot of time.
We set out at four-thirty and start directly with the mythical and mystical Col du Tourmalet. We ascend completely alone, at night, with no traffic. Little by little, the first rays of sun appear while the air is still cold. It is one of those magical moments that, surely, I will forever remember. (read Mike Barry Sr. first memories of the Tourmalet here)
5:37 Luz Saint Sauveur
7:52 Col du Tourmalet
At the summit, we bundle up as the decent will be cold. The gloves I bought the day before now make perfect sense.
Next are the Aspin and the Peyresourde, two tough passes. The heat, which is scorching most of Europe, is already building heavily as the sun rises in the sky. We make a slightly longer stop in Arreau to recover our strength, and another in Bagnères-de-Luchon to hydrate and find some shade.
9:35 Col d'Aspin
12:02 Col de Peyresourde
14:15 Col de Ares
We still have a long stretch ahead, with few villages and a lot of heat. We pass by the memorial dedicated to Fabio Casartelli, a young cyclist who died in the Tour de France while descending the Portet d'Aspet, and then arrive near Saint-Girons.
15:09 Memorial Casartelli
15:39 Col Portet d'Aspet
The plan was to climb the Col de Port, but before reaching it, we found a small hotel in Biert, and decided to call it a day.
The accommodation was run by a young Dutch couple. He also works as a cycling journalist. They prepared an excellent dinner for us, and the four of us ended up sharing a table, which made us feel right at home.
By nine-thirty, we were asleep.
Data for the day:
- 218 km
- 5,372 m of elevation gain
- 11 h 42 min pedalling
- Average of 18.6 km/h
- 13 h 15 min total time
Day 3 - Biert - Cerbère
The final day.
By 3:15 AM, we are awake. Once again, we find breakfast ready, and shortly after four, we begin to climb the Col de Port. It is long but very steady, and we do it without rushing.
5:30 Col de Port
The descent takes us to Tarascon and then toward Ax-les-Thermes. After that we arrive at the most unpleasant stretch of the entire route.
The climb up the Puymorens takes place on a wide road with a lot of traffic and some sections feel like a highway, which is unsettling. The cars and trucks whizz by and we finish it feeling the stress of the traffic. Five kilometers from the summit, we stop to eat a pizza and have a coffee-- a needed mental and physical rest.
10:04 Col de Puymorens
From there we crest the pass and head down toward Puigcerdà where, we are greeted by a headwind from the Tramuntana. In the blowing wind progress is slow until Mont-Louis, but from there, we enjoy a long descent of about 40 kilometres.
12:18 Montlluis
13:16 Prada
Back on the plains, the heat hits us but only the Col de Fontcoberta remains. With good fortune, the wind is on our backs and the climb goes better than expected.
15:19 Col de Fontcouverte
The descent is very broken up and puts our wrists to the test. Afterward, the same Tramuntana wind that had punished us in the morning now pushes us all the way to the sea.
17:09 Collioure
Finally, Portbou appears. Now only the last rolling hills to Cerbère remain.
As an anecdote, with five kilometers to go, my GPS decides it has had enough and turns off. After more than 700 kilometres, we can almost forgive it.
We arrive in Cerbère, take the photograph that certifies the end of the Raid, and continue to Portbou to catch the train.
18:23 Cerbere
18:26 Plage de Cerbere
Before that, though, there is time for two essential things: a swim in the Mediterranean and a well-deserved ice cream.
At 20:30, we board the train to Girona.
The Raid Pyrénéen is over.
But adventures like this do not end when you get off the bicycle. They stay inside you. And, over time, they are the ones you remember fondly.
Data for the stage:
- 260 km
- 4,200 m of elevation gain
- 12 h 2 min pedalling
- Average of 21.6 km/h
- 14 h 10 min total time
Final Summary
- 741 km
- 12,500 meters of cumulative elevation gain
- 60 hours and 32 minutes of adventure
When I first heard about the Raid Pyrénéen, it was just a story told during a conversation while pedaling. Years later, that story has become one of the most intense memories that cycling has given me.
And that is precisely what I like most about this sport: you never know which conversation, which landscape, or which person will end up changing your next destination.
Packing List:
- 3 pairs of cycling shorts
- 2 jerseys
- 1 Vest
- 1 Rain jacket
- 2 pairs of socks
- 1 T-shirt
- 1 pair of shorts
- 1 pair of sun sleeves
- Flip-flops.
