Toronto’s Ashlin Barry wins first UCI stage race

16-year-old rider impresses at the Tour du Bocage in France

Photo by: Tour du Bocage

Matt Hansen March 25, 2024

Toronto’s Ashlin Barry took his first UCI stage race on Sunday, winning the overall at the Tour du Bocage et de l’Ernée in France. Riding for the American national junior team, Barry took Stage 1 on Saturday. Toward the end of the 100.4 km stage, Barry would catch Axel Bouquet (Lepelley Electricité U19) with 10 km remaining, From there, Barry, who is a dual citizen, with both Canadian and American passports, would attack Bouquet and take the win by six seconds.

Boom! Ashlin Barry wins his first ever official UCI junior race – Stage 1 of Tour du Bocage et de l’Ernée 53!https://t.co/68XBNxuFOD pic.twitter.com/oOQfxpqQYp

— Eemeli (@LosBrolin) March 23, 2024

Sunday was a double day of racing .The morning’s stage was a 13.8 km time trial from Chailland to Chailland. Barry finished 7th, 47 seconds behind winner Louis Chaleil (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale U19 Team). With the win, Chaleil took the yellow jersey from Barry by 19 seconds. Barry would still keep the white jersey for best young rider.

The second stage of the day–and final race of the event, was 106.5km, finishing in Chailland. After the peloton did 74.5km, they would land on finishing circuits in town, doing three laps. Karl Sagnier (U19 Indre Fenioux) took the win–but it was Barry who would take the G.C. But it was not without incident. The first-year junior crashed and had to swap bikes and claw his way back to the lead group of 34.

This junior rider from Toronto is set for big results in 2024

Barry, who rides with the EF Education-ONTO junior team finished fourth in the final stage. He won back his yellow jersey, taking the overall by six seconds over Dutch rider Joeri Schaper (ACROG-Tormans) and 10 seconds over Eliott Boulet (CC Plancoët Junior.)