Special contract with Visma, guided from an early age and, after winning silver at the World Championships, one big goal: what you need to know about Ashlin Barry

Barry comes from a real cycling family, it's fair to say. His Canadian father, Michael, rode for major teams such as US Postal, Discovery, T-Mobile, Columbia, and Sky. At the same time, his American mother, Dede Demet, won silver in the Olympic time trial in Athens in 2004. Ashlin has now followed in her footsteps with a silver medal in Kigali.

Made for cycling, then? Yes and no, explains the American with his smooth talk. “My parents gave me a lot of freedom just to do what I enjoy. I also tried out different sports for a long time. When I was thirteen or fourteen, I chose cycling as my hobby. But I never felt any pressure; I made that choice entirely on my own.”

“I spoke to my parents on the phone just after the finish, and they were very happy for me. They have supported me a lot, especially because things haven't exactly gone smoothly towards this World Championship lately,” says the youngster, who won a stage in the Watersley Junior Challenge this year and also had a very strong spring, with a second place in Roubaix and a second place in E3, among others.

Two years ago, Barry, who was born in Girona, Spain, decided to change his nationality from Canadian to American. “I get a lot of opportunities with the national team, and the 2028 Olympics are a very big goal of mine, especially in track cycling. That's something I'm really going to work towards in the coming years,” he says, already looking three years ahead.

This season, he has already taken a big step forward. “I've been in Europe a lot more and have also ridden more races on the track with the national team. The level is naturally a bit higher, and I've also finished school, which means I can focus a lot more on my sport. All in all, a lot has changed, and I feel ready for new challenges.”

He will find that next challenge next year with the U23 team of Visma | Lease a Bike, which entered into a long-term partnership with him at the end of last year. In 2026, he will ride for the Dutch team's development squad, while it is certainly not out of the question that he will be riding for the professional team the following year.

“We see immense talent in Ashlin, along with significant room for growth,” said Robbert de Groot, Head of Development at Team Visma | Lease a Bike, upon the announcement of Barry's arrival. “This is the first time we have signed someone so young directly for our WorldTeam.”

“It reflects our confidence in Ashlin’s potential and underscores our belief in long-term collaborations. Only by working closely with a talent from a young age can we fulfill their maximum potential,” said De Groot.

Barry himself is also looking forward to it. “Team Visma | Lease a Bike is truly a dream team. It’s incredibly inspiring to sign with the same team as riders like Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard. They are great examples of how you can develop further within this team. Of course, I’m still very young and in the process of discovering my specialties,” he added.