Can you confirm that you’re riding at the 2011 Road Worlds and replacing Dominique Rollin (FDJ) in the Elite Men’s RR?
Michael Barry: Yes, I will be racing on Sunday.
Are you racing the TT as well or just the road race?
MB: Just the road race.
Do you know the Copenhagen course?
MB: I think I may have ridden bits of it during the Tour of Denmark a few years ago. I’ve spoken with my teammates about the course so I have a pretty good idea of what to expect. The course isn’t that hard but the distance will wear the peloton down.
You’ve been riding well – what are your thoughts on the 266km Elite men’s race?
MB: I’m excited – it is always a privilege to race for Canada and wearing the team jersey seems to give me a little extra energy. My fitness is at a peak right now. I felt very good at the GPC races in Quebec and Montreal and was able to do a lot of work for the team and also be there to animate the finale. I’m really looking forward to racing with Svein [Tuft] and David [Veilleux] this weekend. I’m sure that if we play our cards right we can have a great race.
What’s the team’s strategy?
MB: Despite only having three riders, I’m confident we will be there in the finale as we are all riding well at the moment. To do that, we will have to race conservatively to save energy for the last few laps. In the final laps it’ll be important to be up front, follow the attacks, and seize opportunities. Although we are only three, we’ll need to help each other out to achieve a nice result.
Good luck on Sunday.
MB: Thanks