January 25, 2007 – Experienced Canadian pro Michael Barry is one of the many new faces in T-Mobile’s 2007 line-up. In an interview with t-mobile-team.com editor Gerard Lyne, the former Discovery Channel rider explains how the move to T-Mobile came about, sums up the training camp experience so far and casts an eye on his race program for 2007.

How did you find your way to T-Mobile, and what attracted you to the team — was the fact that your wife previously raced for Bob Stapleton’s women’s team a factor in your move?

Michael Barry: My wife, Dede, had a great experience racing for the T-Mobile women’s team which was managed by Bob Stapleton; she has great respect for him and his involvement was a big reason I was attracted to the team. After the tumultuous and challenging year the sport of cycling experienced in 2006 it is also nice to be a member of a team that is really working to make a change and move the sport in a positive direction.

What’s your view on the team’s new leadership and many new faces? Does it feel like a brand new team?

Michael Barry: As there are so many new faces it has been easy to integrate, so yes, I guess it does feel like a new team in many ways. The management, sports directors and staff are all very open, kind and respectful of each other which to me are the essentials in building a strong group that will be successful. The riders get along well and it is a strong and diverse group of athletes. The ambiance at camp has been good and I think everybody is motivated to accomplish the team’s goals.

What’s your take on the comprehensive program of on and off the bike training methods/ expert workshops you are following here on Mallorca — can you sum up the experience so far?

Michael Barry: The team is thinking outside of the box which is a big change–most teams tend to do things in a certain way just because they have been done that way for decades and not because they really make much sense scientifically. We are incorporating new training methods both on and off the bike by working with a team of doctors that has tested us thoroughly so that the team trainer could then build programs around our physical capacities and objectives. Likewise, we went through a battery of testing on our core strength – and specialists in strength training have structured programs so that we can work on increasing our stability, strength and coordination both on and off the bike which will not only make us more powerful on the bike but can also become more flexible and fluid in our motions to help us avoid injury.

Describe the average day at camp?

Michael Barry: Our program each day is complete; a true sportsman’s day with early morning stretching, training on the bike with individually tailored interval sessions, core body work and then a pre-dinner stretching and relaxation session. We have also been working with a nutritionist who has not only guided us in what to eat and how much to eat at meals but has also worked with the soigneurs to determine what we should be eating during our training and immediately after. There is also a sports psychologist available for each of us to work with on an individual basis. New methods and ideas are welcome within the team and at the end of the day this open attitude will make the team successful.

How competitive can the team be in 2007?

Michael Barry: The team can win at the highest level as a group of successful, committed, talented and hard working athletes has been assembled and we are all committed to winning as a team.

What are your sporting goals/objectives, race schedule and expectations for your first season at T-Mobile?

Michael Barry: My season begins at the Tour of California where I would like to perform well as it is not only the opening race but also one of the most important North American events. I don’t often get the opportunity to race on the continent and, being Canadian, each time I do race it is somewhat special. In early March I will do a couple of one day races in Switzerland, GP Chiasso and Lugano, and then a begin a stretch of stage race with Paris Nice and Pays Basque which will put me in condition for my next objective, the Ardennes Classics: Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Walllone and Liege Bastogne Liege. From Liege I will travel to Switzerland where I’ll race the Tour of Romandy before I have a break from racing””a break I will use to rest up and doing some specific training–until the Dauphine Libere, and hopefully, if all goes well and I am fit and healthy, I will race the Tour de France. The Dauphine and the Tour will be my other big objectives. The team has provided the support and opportunities; it is now my job to make the most of it and perform and to help the team win.

June 3, 2006 – It’s been a tough start to the 2006 racing season for Canada’s Michael Barry. The Discovery Channel rider rode into it in good form, and was looking forward to the spring classics and hopefully his first berth at the Tour de France. But a nasty crash at the Tour of Flanders left him injured with his hopes and dreams for this season in tatters. Pedal caught up with Barry as he prepares to return to competition.

That was a nasty crash at Flanders. Can you tell us about the injury, the damage you suffered, and how you’ve been recovering?

Michael Barry: I broke the T-7, 8 and 9 in my back (compression fractures) and was unconscious for 40 minutes. I also had some deep facial cuts that required stitches. I am recovering well and feel back to normal. For a while I was training on an indoor trainer, sitting upright, but currently I am doing a lot of training in the mountains, and so I should be back racing soon.

How do you feel about missing the chance to ride your first Tour de France, and what are your plans for the rest of the season?

MB: I am feeling better everyday and I am training a lot. Sure I would of liked to have gone to the Tour, and unless something dramatic happens I will not be going. My next race is the Tour of Switzerland and I am not sure what my schedule will be after that but one thing I do know is that it will be full of races.

How is fatherhood treating you, and how has it changed your life?

MB: Being a dad is incredible and much more fulfilling than I had ever imagined. Liam and Dede are now the main focus of my life.

Is life in Girona and with Team Discovery different without Lance Armstrong around?

MB: Yes, it is different not having him around from a team aspect, as he was the only leader and he set the tone for the whole team. He didn’t race that much with us during the last couple of years, but he still had a big influence on us throughout the season, so it’s a bit strange at times from that point. He wasn’t in Girona too often during the last couple of years, so that side of things has not changed much.

Looking ahead to the Tour de France, is George (Hincapie) up for a good ride, is it looking like a North American showdown is in the cards, and which Americans do you see in the mix?

MB: There will definitely be a North American showdown. Levi (Leipheimer) is riding well now, George is back from his injury at Roubaix and is ready to win, and Floyd (Landis) has been winning all year. They will all be in there at the Tour.

How do you see the Canadian road scene at the moment – any signs of young riders breaking through to Europe? If not what can be done to boost the Canadian content in the Euro peloton?

MB: There are several good young Canadian professionals racing in Europe at the moment, especially Ryder Hesjedal (Phonak), and this is good for the future of Canadian cycling. There are also some solid Canadian teams doing well in North America. Grass roots development is what we need most in Canada, along with a solid National racing program that can draw international competition to us. This would really help raise the game and stir things up.

How has the Saiz/Fuentes incident gone down in Spain and with the pro riders?

MB: Well it is still unfolding, so we don’t know where it will end up and how it will change cycling. But it is shocking for all of us as we read the news online and in the papers. I haven’t been at the races so I don’t know what the gossip is there, but I am sure they are talking about it. The situation is sad and bad for the sport.

Good luck with the rest of your racing season this year.

MB: Thank you.