At Hamilton’s Road World Championships, Canada’s Michael Barry attacked Paolo Bettini, Peter Van Petegem, and the rest of the world’s best up the final climb. That one striking image of Barry is still fresh in everyone’s mind. On a warm autumn day, the lanky Toronto-born 28-year-old bridged to the lead break, immediately attacking hard in front of thousands of fans “” many of them Canadians cheering on their hometown hero. Barry’s seventh place seemed to many to be a turning point; an unpredictable result. But for those following his cycling career since it began nearly 20 years ago, the finish was
anything but surprising.
Barry got his boost into bikes through his father, Mike Senior, a bicycle frame maker and shop owner. Michael Junior spent many hours in his dad’s shop, leafing through glossy British and Italian cycling magazines, dreaming of riding in Europe with the pros, and racing the classics and the grand tours. That dream, it seems, has become a reality. Barry now rides for the New York Yankees of cycling: US Postal Service. But it has been one long ride to the top.
Barry’s potential was evident in his high school years, taking provincial and national titles in a variety of cycling disciplines: track, ’cross, and road. And wherever he raced, he did well. Barry managed to divide his time between studies at the Toronto French School and Upper Canada College with training “” often riding after school until dark. The hard work and discipline, coupled with a natural talent and genuine love for the sport, saw him race at the international level with the provincial and national squads.
Although Barry knew he had potential, he was still never quite certain that he would race as a professional. In 1994, as a first-year senior, Barry made the Commonwealth Games team for the team pursuit. “I still wasn’t quite sure where cycling would take me,” he admits. “I had always enjoyed and valued education, so I knew I would go to university.” The turning point for Barry would come in 1996.
After attending the University of Toronto in the fall of 1995, Barry headed west to California. When the National Team coach arranged a spot for him on a small French amateur team in Annemasse, Barry hopped on a plane. But even as he headed to France, he still wasn’t sure how long he would be there. “I remember thinking I could be there for a week, or maybe a month,” Barry remembers. “I just didn’t know where I was going, but knew I had to try.”
Barry qualified for the Canadian Olympic Team in 1996, which meant racing and traveling with his longtime hero Steve Bauer. Bauer proved to be crucial to Barry’s development.
After a fine ride at the Tour of Bergamasca, a race he used to prepare for the Olympics, Barry realized he could race professionally. After the Olympics came the Espoir World Championships. Against a super-strong Italian squad that took the top-three spots, Barry soloed to finish in an incredible eighth place.
In 1997, Barry’s burst to the big leagues came with a few bumps on the road. After his promising ride as an espoir, top French team GAN offered Barry a chance to ride and train as a stagiaire. But later that same year, Barry had a bad fall that led to a nagging leg and back injury. Suddenly, Barry found himself questioning if he would be able to ever ride, or race, at the same level. “I remember really wondering if this was it,” Barry confides. “It was a really tough time for me, and even though I always tried to remain positive, I had a lot of harsh moments. I realized that cycling truly was a job, and when you are injured, you can’t do it. But I took the sweet with the sour. I think that being unable to ride really makes you appreciate what you take for granted.”
Barry came back to North America to race the following year. After riding a few races with a Canadian amateur team, Barry was picked up by the top American domestic squad, Saturn. Saturn was also the same team his future wife, Dede Demet, was riding on. It was later that year, in October, that Demet and Barry tied the knot.
Riding with Saturn gave Barry the opportunities he needed to progress to the European races that suited him most. A mix of riding in North America and Europe meant he could ride select races where he could excel. A fourth place at the Peace Race was another turning point: “I think it showed people that I was suited to the tough European races. The kind with a relentless parcours, the up-and-down-type races.” Barry’s last race with Saturn proved to be the clincher to riding on a European squad: second place in the tough San Francisco Grand Prix, behind his future teammate George Hincapie.
Riding with US Postal has provided Barry with an arena to progress as a teammate and as an individual. And 2003 saw a few near-wins: second on the first stage of the Tour of the Algarve, in Portugal, to name just one. “It’s a good environment “” now that I’ve been there for a few years,” he says. “I know it’s a solid group of guys with good opportunities.” When asked if he wonders if there would be more opportunities on a smaller squad, Barry is straightforward: “There are incredible opportunities on Postal, they’re just of a different kind. Riding for leaders like Roberto Heras or Lance Armstrong makes me a better rider. Riding hard at the front gives you a lot of strength. And being part of the winning Tour of Spain team is a rare opportunity,” he says.
“At the Worlds in Hamilton, I am certain that riding for Roberto gave me the punch to ride with the best, at the front, on that final climb. I’m really pleased with the team, and I am hoping that things get better. I’ve learned a lot, and am still learning. I think that I have proven myself a bit more now, and I look forward to getting more chances in 2004.”