Michael Barry is one of the most experienced - and one of the most interesting - riders in the peloton, with 2009 set to be his eleventh as a professional. He has ridden for some of the world's biggest teams, including US Postal and T-Mobile, but he says that joining Team Sky has re-ignited his enthusiasm, and left him feeling like a neo-pro again.

"It's really interesting, and completely different from any other team I've ridden in," says Barry. "The approach, the structure - it's all different."

It was the "philosophy" behind the team, as much as the opportunities he will have, that persuaded Barry to sign. But he brings strength as well as experience, and he is also capable of contributing victories. "I don't know if there's a 'captain', but I'm one of the veteran riders, and acting as captain on the road was something I enjoyed doing with my previous team," he says. "It's nice to see younger guys progress, and be able to contribute a bit to that.

"The last couple of years I've often worked as a domestique, and I'll have a similar role at Sky. I'm a type of rider they can count on in all terrain. But in hillier, harder one-day races I can do alright for myself, too."

Quite apart from his team role, and his occasional shots at personal glory, there was something else about Team Sky that appealed to Barry, who is also an accomplished writer, having authored a book, Inside the Postal Bus, in 2005. "As pro bike riders we motivate people to ride bikes by what we do," he explains, "but this team is going to have a direct involvement in the community.

"That connection between pro teams and riding for fun is very rarely made, but there's going to be a direct correlation with getting more people riding bikes. I really like that idea."