I became British champion days after my team-mate died… now I’m battling imposter syndrome in pursuit of historic wins
THE greatest moment of Fred Wright's cycling career came just nine days after the worst.
The London-born rider, 24, soloed to a first professional victory in June last year as he became British champion.
As he crossed the line, the emotions poured out of the Bahrain-Victorious man as he pointed to the sky and began to break down in tears.
That's because, earlier in the month, his team-mate and friend Gino Mader tragically died at the age of 26 after a fatal crash.
The Swiss star was riding his home race when he fell down a ravine and was left "motionless in the water".
Mader was airlifted to hospital, but Bahrain later confirmed the dreadful news that he had passed away.
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'I'll always be riding for him'
Speaking exclusively to SunSport, Wright said: "I still can't really put into words how difficult that time was - for me personally and for the team. It's horrible.
"It's not something I'm ever going to not think about when I'm riding my bike to be honest.
"It puts a lot of things in perspective and that played into my favour in nationals because I wasn't desperate for it. I was there racing my bike and that's what it's all about.
"With everything that happened you reflect on it yourself and that's what's important is enjoying riding your bike, racing your bike, and doing a sport which unfortunately Gino can't do anymore.
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"It's awful. I'll always be riding for him. Whether in five, six years time I win a race and celebrate and don't point to the sky, it's still all... he was a good mate. So it was awful."
'THE TOUR DE FRANCE WAS SPECIAL AND POWERFUL'
The team withdrew from the final two stages of the Tour de Suisse as they mourned the death of their talented young rider.
Yet the brutal nature of top-level sport meant Wright was back racing just five days later at the British Championships.
An impressive second place in the time trial was followed up by a sensational triumph in the road race as Wright secured the British champion's jersey for the next 12 months.
The victory had been a long time coming for the nearly man - who already had a second place in a Tour de France stage, three podiums at the Vuelta Espana, and back-to-back top 10s at the Tour of Flanders.
He then went to the Tour de France where Bahrain secured three stage victories, while Pello Bilbao clinched an unlikely sixth place overall.
Fuelled by heartbreak, Wright and Co left Paris as one of the most successful teams at the race.
It was three weeks the former British track rider will remember forever.
He added: "I'll never forget it [last year's Tour de France]. Everyone having gone through such awful negative emotions, for then when things start looking positive, those positive emotions are even greater.
"Some of the celebrating together after those stage wins that the guys had, it was so nice. It was a really good experience.
"Not that you get over these things [Gino's death], but it was a way to deal with it. We're racing for him, we're together, all the staff all the riders, we're winning on the biggest race in the world.
"It was powerful. It was special."
'He's scaring me'
Looking ahead to 2024, Wright is seeking a statement win at one of cycling's biggest races.
A stage victory at the Tour de France is surely only a matter of time as he continues to establish himself as one of the sport's best breakaway riders.
But his dream win would be one of the two big classics - the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix.
With last year's Flanders winner Tadej Pogacar opting to prioritise other goals, it has opened the door for riders like Wright - who admits the Slovenian's absence will make the race marginally "easier".
However, two-time winner Mathieu van der Poel and all-round Belgian superstar Wout van Aert will be the overwhelming favourites to take advantage of Pogacar's absence.
The Netherlands' reigning world road race champion Van der Poel, 28, has enjoyed a remarkable winter so far, winning all 10 of his cyclocross races.
But Wright, who would be just the second Brit to win Flanders, is keen to avoid an inferiority complex when lining up against the sport's biggest names - even if he has an unwavering admiration for them.
Discussing Van der Poel, he said: "He's scaring me actually! There was a video of him going up a sandy climb. He does it and no one else can do it. It's like 'Oh god'.
"Or seeing him at Diegem attack out of the sandpit was just like 'This guy is special'.
"It's that imposter syndrome thing you've got to deal with. I'll be in races where you've got to try and beat him. So it's [trying to] not be like 'Oh my god, it's Van der Poel'.
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"It's trusting that I'm there because I should be there. Having that confidence in myself is another thing to gain."
Showcasing his growing confidence, Wright concluded: "Last time up the Kwaremont, I'll be gone!"
