Michael Barry’s straight talk about the planned 2020 road season

06/18/20 • 27 min

At the beginning of May, the UCI announced the new road calendar for 2020. One Canadian Cycling Magazine writer has dubbed it 100 crazy days. The racing runs from the beginning of August to early November, which is when cyclocross usually wraps up in most of Canada.

Michael Barry, who runs Mariposa Bicycles with his wife Dede, raced from 1995 to 2012. When he looks at the compressed road calendar, he sees a lot of challenges and unknowns that could derail racing. But, according to the former pro, there are sure signs of hope for cycling.

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Previous Episode

Cory Wallace and the art of lockdown in Nepal

In mid-May, Cory Wallace, the three-time 24-hour mountain bike champion and Annapurna circuit record holder from Jasper, Alta., was living a simple life in the Solukhumbu region of Nepal, which is where he’s been since the country went into lockdown in late March. He's had lots of time to think and even cook up a wild escape route from Nepal that he's mentioned on his website. It's only something he'd use if, as he says, "it does go sideways." In this episode of the Canadian Cycling Magazine Podcast, Wallace discusses solo riding. Are you born a solo rider or can you become one? He mentions the mental fortitude you need in cycling. He's got that in spades, but it seems even the mountain bike marathon specialist can work on boosting his abilities. He's been improving his mediation skills while staying put in Nepal. In normal times, top riders often live monk-like existences, but for Wallace, his life has become even more like that of an ascetic. Have a listen to Wallace’s insights from 2,500 m above sea level.

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Next Episode

Talking bubbles and the sourdough revolution with Leah Kirchmann

Leah Kirchmann, Team Sunweb athlete and this country’s time trial champion, is expecting to start racing once again in August. Still, she’s not sure what exactly the UCI safety protocols—with their team bubbles and peloton bubbles—will mean for her events. Also, with international travel now more difficult, she might be faced with some tough choices. Will she be able to race the inaugural women’s Paris-Roubaix, if it happens, or will she make a return to the Tour of Chongming Island? Can she defend her national time trial title and attend the Giro Rosa, too?

The rider, who has studied public health and nutrition and is a passionate cook, also talked sourdough and salmon. Check out her popular banana oat pancakes as well as the recipes she’s developed for her team’s Food Friday.

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