Michael Barry has been a regular contributor to www.teamsky.com throughout this season and he's now poised for both his and Team Sky's debut at the Tour de France.

Ahead of Saturday's start in Rotterdam we caught up with him to see how preparations have gone:

TeamSky.com: First of all congratulations on being named in the squad. It's hard to believe this is your Tour debut - how special is it for you?

Michael Barry: Thanks. As a five year old boy I would ride around the neighbourhoods in Toronto imagining I was racing in the Tour. It has been a goal and a dream ever since and to finally have the opportunity to do it is fantastic.

TeamSky.com: You worked hard during a very tough Giro d'Italia - how long did it take you to recover from that?

MB: About two weeks after the race I started to feel normal and keen to ride again. The first week after the race I slept a lot and relaxed as much as possible. From experience I know it takes roughly two weeks to recover and once I do, I rebound to a higher level of fitness from the massive workload during the race.

TeamSky.com: What has your programme been over the last few weeks - it looks like there's been plenty of recon work with Brad (Wiggins) and Steve (Cummings) among others...

MB: Two weeks ago the three of us pre-rode several of the key Tour mountain stages. We spent six days together with a small support staff and did a lot of good work on the bikes and had a great time. Other than that, I have been training in Girona, where I live.

TeamSky.com: The focus at the Tour is very much about supporting Brad on the GC. Few people will have a better idea than you about how his preparation has gone - does everything look on track for both him and the team as a whole?

MB: Very much so. He looks like he's in great shape as do all of the other guys on the team. We just rode the cobbled sectors today (Wednesday) and everybody is in good spirits. The team is versatile and there are riders who can support Brad in every terrain so we should be okay.

TeamSky.com: It's a strong, strong team as you'd expect - what are the other objectives apart from trying to get Brad onto the podium?

MB: That's the goal and we are all committed to it. We will do the best race we can and seize opportunities.

TeamSky.com: Looking at this year's route which do you think will be the key stages?

MB: The last week is tough and the major differences will be made in the Pyrenees. The cobbles on stage three will make the race interesting and some key contenders could easily lose minutes. The Tour will be won by the most consistent rider so having a good team around him for support will be crucial.

TeamSky.com: It was good to hear you say that it should be a "fun" three weeks - can you really enjoy such a tough race when it's actually happening?

MB: I enjoyed the Giro - it was fun - and it was a tough race on many levels so yes, I can really enjoy a three week race. There are obviously highs and lows but overall we have a really good time together as have a good group of guys and staff which makes all the difference.