Q&A with Michael Barry

When I saw the announcement that Michael Barry was retiring it felt like the passing of an era. Michael was definitely the flag bearer for my generation of Canadian cyclists: the guy that was doing it in Europe and making it work.

I contacted him and asked if he would like to do a talk about his retirement, something a bit more personal. Here’s our discussion.

Andrew Randell What was your most memorable moment of the past 20 years as a cyclist? And it doesn’t have to be a “professional” moment.

Michael Barry There are too many memorable moments to pick one: riding with my parents as a young boy in the parks in Toronto, riding through King City, Ont., with my clubmates as a teenager, riding with my wife in the Rocky Mountains, and sitting in the team bus with my teammates after a hard day of racing. Now I have some great moments racing around the block with my sons. My life has been spent on a bike. I matured on a bike and I saw much of the world on a bike. There were some incredibly tough moments, where I was challenged mentally, ethically and physically, but I learned from those experiences and feel stronger for them. When pushed to the limit, we see the worst and the best of ourselves.

AR What’s the most memorable phase? For instance, do you look back at one particular phase of your career with fond memories?

MB As a boy, I had a blast riding my bike. I discovered the city, loved riding, being out and about town or in the country. It was a lot of fun. In the post three years, I’ve  felt that same emotion again. Perspective, having children and maturity has, ironically, returned me to where I was when I started: a kid riding hard and having a good time. So, my two most enjoyable periods of cycling: from ages 6-16 and then the last three seasons from 2010-2012.

AR You had several major injuries throughout your career. What was the motivation to come back from them? Did that motivation change between the time you injured yourself as an espoir to the time you were in the middle and end of your career?

MB I have had many serious injuries. The goal to return to racing was always important to me. Several times after I fell heavily, I figured I might only ride one more race, but to me it was important to get back to the point to which I could ride once more before I gave up. Until I finally retired, I was always able to come back, and often come back stronger. Despite the difficulties relating to injuries, there was a silver lining to each incident. For example, I met my wife when I broke my femur in ’97. This year, I was able to spend time at home with my family, which was time we needed together. Although I was  broken physically, the time I had at home bonded the family. Remaining positive, having a goal and maintaining perspective makes all the difference in healing. These are important lifes lesson the injuries and tough moments have taught me. Most important, it is hard to heal when you feel sorry for yourself.

AR You have a great record at the Olympics and the Worlds: eighth as an espoir, eighth in Hamilton in 2003, eighth at the Olympics in Beijing. Yet, you were still known as a great “rouleur” within your teams, supporting the race plan day in and day out. How did you balance those two different aspects of your career?

MB Perhaps, it is my character. I likely had the legs and physical attributes to win some big races, but often I sacrificed my personal goals for the team’s. I don’t regret this at all. The underlying beauty of cycling is that it is a team sport in which riders sacrifice themselves completely to the team goal and only one rider crosses the line with his arms in the air. The domestiques rarely receive the accolades they deserve, as there are no “assist statistics” in cycling. Few other sports are similar in this respect. But together, within the peloton and away from the spotlight, we all know those who have ridden like madmen for that goal. As teammates, we respect the work of others, and we can share the victories. Ultimately, knowing that I have done the job well is enough. As a boy, I found the domestique’s job inspiring and attractive and it became one I loved doing.

AR Was riding the Tour with Team Sky in 2010 a boyhood dream come true?

MB Definitely. As long as I can remember, it was a dream to ride around France and into Paris. Ironically, like many things in life, the reality was very different than the dream. The greatest memory of the Tour is riding into Paris. Seeing the Eiffel tower at that moment took me back to a trip I made with my father to Paris when I was eight. In that brief moment, I saw the Tour and Paris through a boy’s eyes again. It lasted a few seconds, and then I returned to the job at hand: leading out Edvald Boasson Hagen.

AR And then, you’re there participating in the world’s biggest race, riders are crashing all around you and injuring themselves. Was that a bit surreal?

MB That is the unglamorous part of the job that a child doesn’t  imagine and makes the reality so far from the dream. You can’t feel suffering on a wheel in your childhood dreams; you can’t feel road rash or broken bones; you can’t feel the constant pressure to perform.

AR Do you have a favourite climb that you raced up? A least favourite?

MB I’ve had some of my most thrilling rides in the Alps and Pyrenees. On a bad day, I can hate every metre of a climb, while on a good day the metres pass by seamlessly. It is difficult to pinpoint a favourite climb, but I’ve had some great rides up to La Molina in the Spanish Pyrenees through Montgrony and over the Col de la Creu. The views from the top are lovely and there are few cars on the roads.

AR Your favourite race?

MB I enjoyed the Classics as they are, quite simply, classics. Roubaix is incredible to finish. It is an amazing race and was often a goal for me, but it was also a race I feared for what it does to riders’ bodies. The Tour and Giro are great as achievements, but I can’t say they’re enjoyable. I did enjoy racing in Canada: in Montreal, Quebec and in Hamilton at the Worlds. Circuit races suit me well and being in front of a home crowd was very special for me, as I rarely had the opportunity to race in Canada as a professional.

AR And the most satisfying result of your time as a cyclist? The most satisfying day of riding?

MB Racing in Quebec and Montreal in 2011 are certainly highlights. I felt good, was able to animate the race and was at home. I was hoping to do the same this year, but the broken arm and surgery killed my form. Just being on the start line became a small victory for me after the difficult recovery. I find it really hard to pinpoint the best moments of a long career. Maybe in 20 years they’ll be more pronounced.

AR How has your relationship with the cycling industry changed? I remember as a kid seeing new stuff at the bike show was a real gee-whiz kind of moment. But now, after years of riding, the bike has become more of a tool. Do you still get a buzz off new equipment?

MB Oddly, as I get older, I am starting to appreciate the bicycle again and it doesn’t feel like just a tool. It is a remarkable mode of transportation as it is simple and, in comparison to most other vehicles, it has evolved very little since the first safety bicycle. (This is the best test of a good design.)

Over the years, I have tested quite a bit of equipment. This year, I tested the new Shimano 11-speed groupset. It has been interesting to learn a little about the design process. I get excited about good design and not gimmicks. I think that is something I’ve learned from my father. He never got caught in trends and I respect him for that; he’s always had a good eye for proper bike design.

AR Remember when we raced together on Espoir Laval? You were 22 and already had the poise of a professional rider. Cycling was always a part of your life, for your family and you. At what age did you start to imagine racing as a professional? And how has your career fulfilled your family’s dreams?

MB Cycling has been in my life since I was born. I grew up immersed in cycling and racing. I don’t even remember when I first imagined being a professional. It was a lifelong goal. My parents never pressured me to race but always supported me. In fact, they emphasized that I was well rounded, went to good schools, kept my grades up and did other sports. But, in my head, I was always going to be a professional. I don’t think being a professional was ever my parents’ dream for me. They just wanted me to do the best I could at whatever it was that I chose. And, they tried to provide the best tools possible for me to make those decisions. When I decided to put my university studies on hold to race in Europe, they were supportive, but insisted I discuss the decision with friends, professors and high school teachers who I respected as mentors. It is amazing to look back on a life of racing. It has brought me a lot and was a career. But, the greatest prize I was given were the life lessons.

AR Congratulations Michael on what was a great career.