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Author Archives: Kathryn

About Kathryn

Follow Mini Bear and I as we travel the world at Minibeartravels.com!

Tour de France stage 16: a Throw Wins it for Sagan

The Tour entered Berne, Switzerland for the first of two stages.   Covered tram lines in the final straightaway.     Andrea and I lucked out and were given passes to watch the stage from the technical zone. This is one of my favorite places at the Tour because it’s the fascinating logistics hub and it … Continue reading »

Categories: France, Switzerland | Tags: , | 2 Comments

Tour de France stage 11

Julian Alaphilippe and his Etixx Quick Step teammates rode just a few hundred meters from their hotel to the sign on.   Raymond Poulidor may have stood on every step of the Tour de France podium except the top one, but he is just as popular as 5 time winner Bernard Hinault.   Cesare Benedetti.   … Continue reading »

Categories: France | Tags: , | 5 Comments

Tour de France stage 10: Suffer Faces

What was the hardest thing you did on Tuesday? I promise it wasn’t as hard as the opening 25 kilometers of the tenth stage. With just a few neutral kilometers in their legs to warm up, the peloton hit the climb to Port d’Envalira. The initial dozen kilometers were fairly harmless, mostly around 3% to … Continue reading »

Categories: Andorra | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Tour de France stage 10: Suffer Faces

Tour de France stage 5: The Buses

There was a time when a departure lay out such as this morning’s would have sent me into an anxious panic. Ack! The road is shaped like an L and there is a double fence in front of me; how will I ever get any autographs?! Will the peloton even know I’m cheering for them?? … Continue reading »

Categories: France | Tags: , | Comments Off on Tour de France stage 5: The Buses

Tour de France stage 4: sign on

I’ll admit I felt particularly weird asking for autographs this morning. The first few cyclists at sign on today were either riders I really don’t know at all and so I wasn’t yet warmed up enough to properly cheer for them or they were riders I see around town all the time where I live so … Continue reading »

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Tour de France stage 3: Cavendish draws level with Hinault

It’s been a busy year since I was last at Le Tour and even though much has changed in my life, I haven’t yet outgrown my love for the peloton. For the first time in a couple of years, I will miss more stages than I will be at but I will bring you, dear … Continue reading »

Categories: France | Tags: , | Comments Off on Tour de France stage 3: Cavendish draws level with Hinault

Ironman Nice done & dusted

“No me toques!” I shout. My eyes shoot fire at the person ahead who had just bumped into me with unnecessary abruptness.   My alarm goes off.   Wonderful, I think. I remembered to use the subjunctive when forming the negative imperative in Spanish while dreaming! This bodes well for today.   Today, of course, … Continue reading »

Categories: France | Tags: , , | 10 Comments

2016 Volta a Catalunya stage 3

With just two stages under their collective belt, the peloton embarked on the queen stage of the 96th edition of the Volta a Catalunya today. With the stage beginning in Girona, it was an especially sentimental stage to the numerous riders who call this city home.   Koen Bouwman and Alexy Vermeulen. The American neo pro … Continue reading »

Categories: Spain | Tags: , | Comments Off on 2016 Volta a Catalunya stage 3

2016 Volta a Catalunya stage 2

On a day when events in Brussels make me think that cycling is so trivial, I somehow also can’t help but feel that cycling is that much more essential. With this in mind, I present a photo gallery from Els Àngels, a category 1 climb just outside of Girona. The second stage of the Volta a … Continue reading »

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Paris-Nice stage 6 (2016)

A few photos from Côte de Coursegouls, a cat 2 climb 50 kilometers into the penultimate stage of Paris-Nice.   Thomas De Gendt lead the break away.     Andrew Talansky would later abandon the stage while Antoine Duschene earned the polka dot jersey after several days of hard riding in the break.   The … Continue reading »

Categories: Uncategorized | Comments Off on Paris-Nice stage 6 (2016)