September 9, 2002 –

Today's question:

Hi Michael, I wanted to know what your role is during this year's
Vuelta? Are you helping with the climbs, the flats? Are you protecting Roberto Heras? Thanks a lot, and good luck!

Ron Wayne
Cambridge, Ontario

Michael Barry:

Thanks for the kind words, Ron.

As a team our only goal in this race is to protect Roberto so that he can
get to the climbs with no time lost to his rivals. We will be riding in
much the same way the team rode in the Tour. Each day different riders will have
different jobs. There will usually be riders staying with the breakaways and
two riders will always be at Roberto's side. In the case that we have the
leader's jersey we will all be on the front riding tempo and controlling the
race with the stronger riders being saved until the end or the climbs. As
the race progresses riders' jobs will change depending on the courses and
their health/fitness.

Michael Barry is a 26-year-old professional cyclist on the United States
Postal Team. This is his first Tour of Spain. His personal web site is
michaelbarry.ca

Pedal is proud to offer an exciting Q & A daily column with Michael Barry
direct from the Vuelta. Pedal readers can forward any questions they wish
for us to ask Barry during the course of the Tour to pedal@passport.ca
(please cc mattsh@hotmail.com). Please include your full name and address
with your email. We will do our best to have all questions that we receive
answered and posted each day

Question of the Day:

Hi Michael. I would like to know how many bikes you have along for the
Vuelta, and if you have a bike for climbing and a bike for the flats.

Anthony Lawrence
Montreal, PQ

Michael Barry:

Anthony, I have three bikes here with me: a time trial bike, a race bike
and a spare bike that is indentical to my race bike. We all have the same
bikes other than Chechu Rubiera and Roberto Heras who are riding bikes that
are lighter – you may notice they have light grey and blue frames. We won’t
change bikes much at all during the race as our bikes are already really
light. The team has a huge truck in which they have all the spare wheels,
parts and frames in case of crashes etc. I also have a training bike at
home so that I don’t need to travel to and from races with a bike, as they
can easily get damaged during travel.

Ciao. Michael

Michael Barry is a 26-year-old professional cyclist on the United States
Postal Team. This is his first Tour of Spain. His personal web site is
michaelbarry.ca

Pedal is proud to offer an exciting Q & A daily column with Michael Barry
direct from the Vuelta. Pedal readers can forward any questions they wish
for us to ask Barry during the course of the Tour to pedal@passport.ca
(please cc mattsh@hotmail.com). Please include your full name and address
with your email. We will do our best to have all questions that we receive
answered and posted each day