Visma's U23 world champion describes immediate Van Aert message after rainbow jersey win - "He’s a huge source of inspiration for me"
Cycling
Visma's under-23 world champion Ashlin Barry has opened up on a whirlwind few weeks after he took a sensational rainbow jersey triumph in Montreal last month. The American rider soloed to glory after remaining out front from the day's early breakaway.
Barry, a strong time trialist, spent the final 30 kilometres alone at the front in Montreal, describing the surreal feeling of his opportunist attack paying off in full as the Dutch team celebrated a world champion within their ranks.
The 19-year--old is contracted with Visma until the end of 2029 after stepping up from junior level this season, and has described his past few weeks as a dream.
"It still feels very surreal. After the World Championships, I flew straight to Los Angeles to prepare for the Track Cycling World Championships, so to be honest, I’ve barely had time to let it all sink in. Actually, it still feels like a dream," Barry said in an interview.
"My plan was to go on the attack early in the race. I knew it would be tough to keep up with the strongest riders on the climbs, so I wanted to try to move up and seize my chance when it presented itself."
Ashlin Barry at the 2026 World Championships
Barry's winning World Championships move
Describing the strategy behind his daring move, he aimed to stay ahead to avoid being left behind on the circuit's main climb. He felt strong, so decided to go all in on the day's breakaway from a long distance.
"The pace was pretty high right from the start, and there were a lot of strong riders trying to break away. In the end, I was the last one to make it into the lead group.
"With five riders out front, it seemed like a good situation, though I did think for a moment: with 120 kilometers to go, this might be a bit too early. At the same time, I felt good and decided to go for it."
Since the finish flurry of cameras, interviews and podium ceremonies, it's all been gone in a flash for Barry. However, he praised one of his cycling inspirations in Wout van Aert for messaging him after his big win.
"So much was happening that I can't even remember everything exactly. First there was the podium ceremony, then the interviews, and after that we raised a toast with the whole team at the hotel. That evening, I had dinner with my family. It was a crazy 24 hours.”
"I hadn't expected that at all"
"One of the first messages I saw was from Wout [van Aert]. I thought that was really cool. I hadn't expected that at all. I’ve been following Wout since I was young and have immense admiration for him. I’ve had the chance to ride with him a few times this season, and that was an amazing experience. He’s a huge source of inspiration for me."
Part of the Visma structure for the coming years, Barry sees a route to the highest level with the team, praising their willingness to offer opportunity to young riders as he hopes to seize his own chance in the coming years.
“There have been so many young riders in the past who’ve achieved success and moved up from the Development Teamto the senior squad
"I find it very inspiring to be on a team with riders who perform at such a high level and have won the biggest races. Because you know them and ride alongside them, it feels more and more realistic that you, too, can achieve those kinds of results.”
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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