‘One of the biggest talents of his generation’: Meet America’s most promising new cycling star, teen Ashlin Barry

Just two days before his 18th birthday, Ashlin Barry stepped onto the podium in Kigali, Rwanda, to claim his first UCI medal. The 17-year-old came within seven seconds of the rainbow jersey in the junior world time trial championships, settling for silver but securing his place as America’s newest star in the making.

Already a three-time U.S. national champion, Barry has had a stellar junior career with second-place finishes in the junior races at Paris–Roubaix and E3 Harelbeke, an all-out win at the UCI Gravel Series race in the Blue Mountains, and second overall in the World Omnium Championships on the track in 2024.

His talent and versatility is such that Visma | Lease a Bike described him as “one of the biggest talents of his generation,” as they signed him for the JEGG Skil DJR team, the junior squad partnered with the Dutch WorldTour powerhouse.

“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. “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 collaboration.”

Born in Girona, Spain, Barry grew up in and around the sport and thus his rapid rise comes as little surprise. He is the son of two former professional cyclists: Canadian Grand Tour rider Michael Barry and multi-time U.S. national champion and Olympic medallist Dede Demet Barry. Michael Barry was a respected domestique who rode in 11 Grand Tours for teams such as Saturn, T-Mobile, U.S. Postal Service and Team Sky. Dede Demet, meanwhile, was a junior world road race champion, a six-time U.S. national champion and Olympic silver medallist.

It is safe to say that cycling runs in Barry’s blood, but the decision to pursue bike racing was all his own.

“My parents gave me a lot of freedom to just do whatever I liked. I played a lot of different sports growing up. I committed to racing bikes when I was 13 or 14. But I never felt any pressure. I made that choice entirely on my own,” he says.

At 6’2” and around 77 kilograms, Barry has the build of a powerhouse, with strengths that mirror his mother’s in time trials, rolling terrain, classics and track events. The upcoming World Championship road race, with its hilly profile, may not play to his strengths, but he is already looking further ahead.

“I get a lot of opportunities with the national team and the 2028 Olympic Games are a very big goal for me, especially in track cycling. That’s something I will really be working towards over the coming years,” he explains.

Away from the U.S. national team, Barry will pull on the black and yellow of Visma | Lease a Bike from the start of the 2026 season, though the timing of his WorldTour debut remains open.

“Whether and how long he will race for the Development Team and when he will step up to the WorldTour will depend on his progress,” De Groot explained. “Thanks to our development pyramid, which includes a junior, development and WorldTeam, we can remain flexible and offer riders like Ashlin a tailored pathway to further their growth."