Matt

Born and raised in British Columbia, Canada, Matt Barlee has followed the path of sport and adventure for his entire life.  When Matt was four years old, his father left behind corporate life in Vancouver to buy a small, family run ski hill in the Okanagan Valley where Matt was to spend the rest of his childhood.  Every free moment was spent on skis, with Matt consistently logging 100+ day ski seasons well into his teens.  He began skiing competitively at the age of six and continued into his teens when a career-ending downhill crash ended his hopes of becoming a ‘Crazy Canuck.’

Matt’s competitive cycling career began in the mid-nineties, when he began mountain biking in preparation for a Himalayan expedition.  While living in Comox, on Vancouver Island, where he was stationed as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, Matt was fortunate enough to become involved with a group of local riders that were as crazy as the terrain on which they rode.  Fun rides with the gang soon progressed into local and regional races as Matt’s skill and fitness improved.  After three years of being spoiled in Comox with pristine trails and no crowds, Matt was transferred to Victoria, BC, a city with many more bikers and much fewer trails.  Dismayed by the ‘scene’ in Victoria, Matt hung up his bike for close to four years and focused his energy on climbing many major routes in North and South America, including a winter ascent of Mt. Logan, Canada’s highest peak.

Soon the itch returned and knowing Victoria’s reputation for excellent road biking, Matt began road riding with friends.  Not long after getting back on the bike, a friend suggested he come out to the Juan de Fuca Velodrome and try his hand at Track Cycling.  His first time on a track bike was in May of 2004, and for the first time he again experienced the speed and rush of his childhood passion – downhill ski racing.  He was hooked.

Matt’s natural ability on the track became apparent quickly and with the mentorship of Keith Bruneau, a veteran of Canadian Track Cycling, Matt began training to see ‘how far the sport can take me.’  After eight months of serious training, Matt entered his first National Championships, walking away with two bronze and one silver medal.  Not too bad for a rookie.  His success continued throughout the ’05 season, with Matt standing on the podium for every race he entered in Canada and the US.  His alarming rise through the ranks caught the eye of the Canadian National Team, and in Jan 06, he was invited to join the team for a training camp and subsequent World Cup race in Los Angeles.  A year of devoted training had paid off, with Matt placing 8^th in the 1 km Time Trial at his first World Cup, only 17 months after taking up the sport.

Matt went on to further World Cup successes, a National Championship, a PanAm Games medal and, finally, qualification for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Summer Games, after which he hung up his track bike and leveled his focus back on his career.  All was going swimmingly, if sedentarily, when he got the invite to chase broken-hearted Rumon through the Rockies.