"Everyone knows I'm one of the favourites" - Fred Wright on the search for first career win at the British National Championships

Bahrain - Victorious's Fred Wright has come close to taking a first professional win on numerous occasions over the past couple of years. At the upcoming British National Championships, Wright is keen to finally get the monkey off his back.

"Every year that I come close to winning, I think about what could have been if I'd beaten Swifty [Ben Swift] up Michaelgate in 2021, that was really close," the 24-year-old told Cycling Weekly. "It's such a hard race, always, such a difficult one to predict. Everyone rides flat out until there's a strong group up the road, and they fight it out for the win. I've just got to make that strong group and see what happens."

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Wright will be competing in both the road race and the individual time-trial and hoping for victory in both as well. "I think I've got a good shot at winning it, especially with Ethan Hayter having crashed and broken his collarbone," Wright explained. "What happened with Ethan did influence my decision to ride the time trial."

"I think my time trial is in a really good place," he continues. "I feel really confident in my position and everything. Things like that have improved a lot in the last six months to a year. I was really happy with my Dauphiné TT, so I'm looking forward to it. I just hope the power is there. I'll be extra fresh, because it's pissing it down with rain today."

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Competition will still be fierce however, even with the INEOS Grenadiers' Ethan Hayter absent. The likes of recent Giro d'Italia runner-up Geraint Thomas will be present.

"I'm hopeful. It'll be interesting to see the course though, because it's quite hilly. I'm on my own, which makes it difficult. I'm on my own, and everyone knows I'm one of the favourites," Wright concludes. "With how I'm feeling on the bike, I'd say it suits me. I'm not worried about it. I should be alright, but we will see."

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