How Ashlin Barry rode solo for 29km to win U23 road gold in Montréal

# Race snapshot

# The move and how he rode it Barry and Dane Kristian Egholm were part of a five-rider break that had been away for more than 100 km. On the lap where Barry went solo, he left that group and committed to a sustained two-lap, then finishing-lap, effort.

# What helped him win

• TT preparation: Barry had targeted the U23 time trial earlier in the week and finished fourth. He says the TT training made him more efficient on the climbs and probably helped him hold a strong solo tempo on the road course.
• Pacing and race management: he intentionally avoided redlining on climbs, conserved where he could, and trusted a steady rhythm rather than intermittent surges.
• Information: gap times were visible via a bulletin board relayed by the moto, which gave him awareness of how the chase was tracking.

# Personal and career context Barry turned 19 on the day of the race. He holds dual US-Canadian citizenship and lives with his family in Toronto. He chose to race for Team USA two years ago for the resources it offered.

Cycling runs in his family. Both parents are retired pros: father Michael Barry is Canadian and mother Dede Demet-Barry is American. Dede previously won a race in Montréal, taking top spot on Mount Royal in the 2002 women's World Cup. Barry's immediate family attended the race.

# What comes next Barry mentioned he has a contract to join the Visma-Lease a Bike WorldTour setup, with timing (whether next year or the following) unclear. He plans to wear the U23 rainbow jersey next season on the road and is already thinking about 2027 and beyond.

# The finish With 1.7 km remaining on one of the flatter circuit stretches, cameras captured Barry shaking his head as if processing that the gold was imminent. He said the feeling was surreal and that until the final climb he still expected to be caught or to hit a wall—but neither happened. He crossed the line solo and claimed the U23 rainbow jersey for the USA.

# Immediate aftermath Barry planned to celebrate his birthday with family and friends the same evening. The win in Montréal added a major title to a young rider's palmarès and confirmed the result of his calculated race approach: a long, controlled solo effort rather than a last-lap sprint or a climb-driven selection.