Anna Barrero is tough. Her words express her endless energy, which allows her to tackle bikepacking and the most important challenges. These include the one where she was a front-runner last year during the Tour de France. Together with other cyclists, Anna cycled along the same stages of the Tour but a day earlier in order to prove that women can also take part in the Tour de France. In short, Anna is not lacking in willpower.
It is a strength that accompanies her on the many bike trips she undertakes. In this interview, we ask Anna about the penultimate trip, which took her along the northern coast of Spain to Cabo Finisterra and then back along the Cammino de Santiago de Compostela (the Way of St. James).
Hi Anna, how are you?
A little tired. 😅
Who wouldn't be? Tell us about your penultimate trip.
I cycled from 1st to 20th May. I covered 2,000 km and 30,000 m of positive climbs along single-track mountain trails.
Tell us something about it in particular.
Here is a tip for everyone: never trust all water! I had some gastrointestinal problems because of the water I drank. I had to stop in the middle of the route, like Dumoulin during the Giro d’Italia 2017. 😅
What other advice do you feel you need to give to those who want to set off on a bike trip?
First of all, travel as light as possible. Don't take things that "might be useful to me...". Bikepacking means feeling free and minimalist.
Secondly, take a bike that adapts to the right position for you and make sure you have the right saddle, otherwise what is supposed to be a fun trip may turn into a painful and uncomfortable one.
Tell us about your saddle and how it feels.
The saddle I used is the Dynamic, the same saddle I used for the Tour de France route. It fits my body perfectly, so much so that I never had any problems (which were my main concern on the repeated long rides over many days).
What are your plans for the coming months?
I intend to go on many more bike trips. I will be reporting them on behalf of a company. In this way, by publishing online photos, the routes and a description, other people will be able to enjoy them too.
Anna has recently concluded a bikepacking trip in the Pyrenees, a 3-day round trip in the Aigüestortes National Park. She had the support of our Dynamic saddle also on this trip, and that makes us proud. It was a fantastic route, with views that “make you want to take flight” and unimaginable encounters with friendly cows and horses. As she herself writes: “That is what life is all about.”