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FRED WRIGHT OPENS UP ABOUT PRIMOZ ROGLIC CRASH | ROADMAN PODCAST

with Roadman Podcast

42:42·15 March 2023

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ROADMAN PODCAST

Fred Wright sits down to discuss his rapid rise through professional cycling, reflecting on how his childhood shaped his values around money, hard work, and what success actually means. He opens up about the infamous crash with Primoz Roglic at the 2022 Vuelta, the toll of competing at the highest level, and why he's deliberately chosen to stay grounded rather than chase wins at all costs.

Key Takeaways

Childhood experiences—from your parents' work ethic to how they allocate time and resources—have a lasting generational impact on how you approach money, ambition, and relationships
The cost of success in professional cycling is real: missing family milestones, upgrading your lifestyle, and losing friendships can erode happiness faster than winning races builds it
Experience compounds quickly in racing; a small 1-2% improvement in fitness combined with better decision-making, course knowledge, and positioning can deliver disproportionate results
In sprint incidents, context and track record matter—a safe rider deserves the benefit of the doubt in a racing incident, whereas a repeat offender should be judged more harshly
Accessibility and diversity in cycling are limited by equipment costs and lack of structured development pathways; one-off World Tour signings don't create lasting change without proper junior and U23 progression
Living at home in the UK and maintaining personal relationships is worth more to Fred than chasing marginal performance gains that require constant relocation and sacrifice

Expert Quotes

"I'd rather be happy and successful than successful and miserable. I think my own happiness is a lot more important."

"The crash was not caused by a bad road or lack of safety but by a Reuters behaviour. Rice came from behind and rolled the handlebars out of my hands before I knew it."

"I think if you become all encompassed by cycling it almost can be quite too much. You really have to switch off because it's not just about your cycling career but your own future happiness."

"Context matters—if you've done a lot of crazy stuff in the past you don't deserve the benefit of the doubt, but if you're a very safe rider with a clean track record you deserve the benefit of the doubt in a race incident."

KEY QUOTES

“I almost think that I I think I'd rather I'd rather I'd basically what I'm saying is I'd rather be obviously I want to win bike races I think everyone every Pro Rider wants to wants to win bike races but I can't I don't I don't see that as it's my own happiness is a lot more important.”
Fred Wright — Professional cyclist, Bahrain Victorious

“the crash was not caused by a bad Road or lack of safety but by a Reuters Behavior right came from behind and rolled the handlebars out of my hands before I knew it they were just like no don't speak to anyone just get get straight back on the bus and then the sort of social media guys told me about the statement and yeah I was pretty shocked.”
Fred Wright — Professional cyclist, Bahrain Victorious

“I still drive the same um I still drive the car that I I learned so I've passed my test with which is my my granny's old car it's a Vauxhall aguiler it's a horrible little granny this is just a little granny car but I you know I haven't given myself the time to work out what what the upgrade is going to be and I kind of almost see it as a bit of a maybe a little bit of a I wouldn't say a waste of money getting a nicer car but I've kind of you know got priorities on sort of having a house.”
Fred Wright — Professional cyclist, Bahrain Victorious

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT2 SECTIONS

The Roglic Crash and Fred's Origins

The crash was not caused by a bad Road or lack of safety but by a Reuters Behavior right came from behind and rolled the handlebars out of my hands before I knew it they were just like no don't speak to anyone just get get straight back on the bus and then the sort of social media guys told me about the statement and yeah I was pretty shocked today I chat with Londoner Fred rice Fred is one of the most exciting talents in the world of bike racing at the moment he sprung into mainstream Consciousness in 2022 with prominent performances in the Tour de Flanders the Tour de France and the Vuelta Espana today we have an open and honest conversation about what makes him unique the cost of success and that Infamous run-in were Primos ruglich in the 2022 Vuelta Espana which resulted in roglitch leaving the race I've been blown away by the number of you tuning into the podcast on Apple and Spotify this here on YouTube and video podcasting that's the next Frontier for the road man cycling podcast to support our continued progression please check out our show sponsors in the description below now I introduce you and welcome to the roadman cycling podcast Mr Fred Wright welcome to the road man cycling podcast hi there looking forward to having a little chat it's gonna be fun Fred I'm with the passage of time I'm starting to reflect on some of my childhood experiences differently and I had a coffee at my mom this morning and I was talking about you know growing up and when I was in school and she used to work a full-time job and then after work she would walk to the store which is like 20 minutes from our house she'd do the shopping she had an arthritis in her hand so she would carry home like the dinner bags in Boulder hands plus her work stuff come home make the dinner and then she would stay up like late at night helping me with my homework on my sister and I just thought that was normal I thought that's you know what people do but I'm like reflected on it now and the hard work and the grass that she put in oh no she never sat me down and had a conversation about hard work it was just she led true example and this taught me such work ethic if you're looking back at your childhood do you have any of those sort of standout moments where your childhood experiences informed who you are today I said that's a really good question man you kind of throw me that's a big that's a good one to start with um I think yeah I don't know I think just the way I think the way both my parents sort of got on with things no matter what was going on I think you know we I think what it's kind of reflecting to how I train and everything is I just quite it's just a positive like the some the positive mindset I can't really pinpoint when I had more of a positive mindset but I think just there must have been a point where I don't know about yeah that's a hard that's a good good question I don't I don't know if there was really a point where I was like thinking about shaping me as an individual It's Tricky what what were your parents like oh I mean they were great I think in the end my my um so my mum is a casting director my dad is an actor and my dad sort of was sort of have would have sort of jobs here and there but he did most of the child care so actually I um yeah spent yeah most of my childhood yeah he was sort of taking me to taking me my sister to to various things he was like the dad in the in the group of mums that would go to the sort of nurseries or whatever but no I think no I'm you know forever grateful grateful for yeah sort of the sort of time the time that might the things like the time my dad put in I think just sort of mucking around with us I think he's it's quite it's quite something I mean I guess it probably just because he had lots of time on his hands but at the same time I think that kind of messing around and all of that yeah definitely his shape who I am and yeah how I am as a person I think yeah I was talking to a guest on the podcast recently and we were talking about the long tail effect of stuff and the example he uses if you're at the dinner table he's three children all under the age of seven and he's saying if he goes out for dinner with his wife the easy thing to do is to give the kids an iPad each and then he can talk to his wife but he said if you think about what that is it obviously it feels like lazy parenting and not judging our condemning on the doorstep yeah it feels to him like lazy parenting but he said the message that it teaches his kids he needs to zoom out to fully understand the consequences of it because the message a teacher's damn is 40 years from now when you have your own children it's okay for you to not interact with your children it's okay for you to give an eye pass to Future iPads to their children so he's like the ramifications of what he does right now could potentially last Generations and when you start viewing decisions through that light it is what it feels very very different yeah it's quite scary I think again like I was saying with my my dad I mean he yeah there were so many it was always me and my sister always going you know not necessarily doing you know we're just going he had this recumbent bike where I was on a little bike attached to it behind it was quite a big big bike that you sort of be used it normally was used to sort of Transport things you'd like to have a crate on the front of it but instead of a crate it was my my sister in a little Charity and then I was on the back of it and basically we kind of would just go and do little day trips to to London into town go into town and just you know go to like the Natural History Museum or the Science Museum and just sort of or to a park or whatever and yeah I think those experiences as a kid yeah definitely had a massive impact on you know I almost feel quite I'm quite grateful that I I was a sort of just a generation before the you know iPad sort of started coming in I think I probably got an iPad I I probably I got an iPod Touch when I was maybe 11 or 12 but that was like you know you've that was that's kind of when you start you're becoming a teenager then so it's almost a bit more normal but yeah I think it was yeah because it it's amazing how formative those years are and I've started to think about it as I've you know tried to understand and gone on this journey to almost understand myself a little bit better and I still don't have a brilliant relationship with money I always just say oh it's not something that motivates me but when I dig deeper and I start to unpack that it's like money was I didn't grow up in a super wealthy family we were working the middle class and money was always a conversation topic around oh the mortgage is due next week the electric bill is due next week do we have enough money to pay it and there'll be weeks when it'd be like okay the electric and the mortgage is you you know we're gonna have to really skimp on whatever it is this week school lunches dinners is there anything like that a value that's instilled on you that now you can recognize when you look at your teammates and you're like oh I was raised very different to this group of people whether it's about money or if it's about you know hard work or even you know I know Pro cycling especially World Tour there's a culture of watches and cars do you find yourself inside that Loop or outside I think I think I'm a little bit I think I'm maybe a little bit outside that you know I still I still drive the same um I still drive the car that I I learned so I've passed my test with which is my my granny's old car it's a Vauxhall aguiler it's a horrible little granny this is just a little granny car but I you know I haven't given myself the time to work out what what the upgrade is going to be and I kind of almost see it as a bit of a maybe a little bit of a I wouldn't say a waste of money getting a nicer car but I've kind of you know got priorities on sort of having a house and Etc before I think about getting getting a new car but I do think yeah I think that that kind of approach is almost it's kind of just due to my maybe my upbringing I don't think money was I was you know fortunate enough that I think my parents did a good job making it seem like money they weren't worried about money but I know that you know when I was a bit younger they were not as well off as as you know my mum's sort of earned more as I've as I got a bit older I think they did a really good job of kind of making it seem like we were we were all fine and yeah I think with something like a little cycling bits and Bobs it was always uh you you know you can get the I remember like really wanting a pair of specialized mountain bike shoes but it was the and it was the the 661 from chain reaction cycles for me that was my first my first cleats that I got were yeah cycling child yeah because cycling is just a never-ending pit of money like you can always get a more expensive set of wheels there's always a newer set of shoes yeah yeah I don't really know again I was so thought I was so grateful again forever grateful to my my parents for taking me off another country and taking me to races and I think that's that's almost a requirement of it if it's sort of a young aspiring cyclist and that even just doing that comes with you know it's quite a lot of money a lot of money going into that and you know I think my dad did it as you know as frugally as like what that word is as Frugal as possible but yeah still it's still you know I still was in a privileged position that you know a lot of kids won't won't have that you know be able to have that the access to to those sort of racism and you know I always had good enough good enough equipment but not not the best but good enough you know when I was sort of 13 13 14.

Cycling's Missing Continent

I think I mean I think that's the best way to do it but you know you still have to have that like amount of you know financial support from from your parents and yeah I don't really know how the sport can change in that way but yeah it's almost like feels like it's getting more expensive like equipment and yeah I spoke with Mikhail to like Doug range he's the founder of Amani cycling project out of Kenya okay um it was an interesting conversation because if you rewind back to 1951 Roger Bannister broke the four minute mile and journalists and Roger Bannister they all fed into this Narrative of maybe this is the Pinnacle of human achievements maybe this is the fastest man will ever run yeah and now there's kids in East Africa who jog to school faster than four minute mile base and we've seen that recently with Felipe ogana breaking the World error record and journalists are like oh is this the fastest anyone will ever go on a bike but we've largely excluded an entire continent from cycling like we like to pretend it's the World Championships it's not it's the European championships but we invite Canadians Australians and Americans if yeah I do I do think especially with you know the likes of gamai who's you know just he's just he I think I feel like he could just be the beginning but it's just when that is just almost making it more it just a bit more accessible I think and then and then that sort of will Unleash Your whole yeah a whole continent the talent potentially yeah I don't know how you do it but with Jeremiah like a brilliant Rider but I'm I'm just struck to ever watched sale prac and they had uh the African-American landed sale pack and it's his name is Tolkien uh that sort of feels like with Grandma the teams are taking their diversity box and they're like okay that's it the diversity box is ticked because we have one African-American writer it needs like better Pathways to bring these kids in like you can't you know you can't jump into one World Tour race and be Jewish on that you need that development way of going to France go on to Belgium you know riding U23 he's coming into world tour again that you know it makes me feel so you know because I was picked up from the by the British acting sort of program from Fairly young age like 6 15 16 and that sort of set me up completely and I think if you you know you give that same opportunity to to more kids and more from you know from all over the world I think that's that's how I think that's almost how cycling has to grow but it's just so difficult because equipment is is getting that that bit fast you know like we can't you know like you just talking about Ghana with the hour record you know he's been able to do that not just because he's a phenomenal athlete but because you know the equipment has achieved has got to such a high standard that I'm not saying that they have to compete with that but it kind of trickles down doesn't it it's you know this is still and it's only going to get yeah it's it's definitely an interesting it's crazy it was like was it like a 75 000 Euro bike or something something stupid but yeah I think like that kind of you know the more the more well-off to get something closer closer to that and then it's it kind of tricked it trickled down wasn't it it's yeah what's as you were saying you were lucky enough to come true British cycling Academy what's that like oh well that was you know so I guess I was sort of 16 when I was on the talent team and then on the then after that sort of jumped up to the junior program and then it it kind of it's kind of all like one one progression you know it's sort of again sort of matured me until I was ready to to turn pro after two years being being on the academy it's such a like it was such a laugh though you know meeting you know I've got some got some little friends that will be yeah we'll be lifelong mates just from what we were you know because you are kind of sort of thrown in with with people then you have to you must have to have to be friends with them but no we we were loads of sort of good good mates made and yeah we had it was good good fun and I kind of look back at those times as being yeah that was we sort of just it's serious but you do kind of you have a laugh and again that sort of almost goes back to what you were saying about my you know even my upbringing I think just playing around I think is what yeah that's kind of that's almost the theme is the kind of the enjoyment I get about of just riding a bike I think that's almost what keeps that's almost one of the that's one of like the main reason I can you know train or what like keep keep training or whatever just because kind of some if you the more you can make it feel like you're just messing around and having a laugh I guess I've always been very jealous of the British cycle and structure and British cycling Academy I came up racing in Ireland and we don't have that sort of structure and I suppose I I never had too many friends who were in the British cycling structure so I had kind of an outsider's perspective of it but it's really got dragged through the media in a not so friendly light in the last few years like was it Ken Madison to the British culture came out and basically said I think this quote was something like it's a macho and Primal culture British cycling under brailsford is that stuff you experienced well I think I think I was I was sort of after after that they they left you know I think I'd but yeah I I wouldn't say it was you know when I was there there was any that that kind of sounds a little that sounds pretty alien to what to what my experience was but yeah I think yeah I think British only does get you know it definitely does get stick for for things but I I mean I kind of almost I can't really can't really complain because yeah I I wouldn't be you know I wouldn't be be the writer I am now or the person I am now without the experiences that I had because of British cycling so as many you know mistakes and things that I You could argue that they they might have done I kind of I I do owe a lot to to British cycling so yeah I I wonder about the the cast of success and it's not just in a cycle I have a friend who's a entrepreneur and you know his goal is to take his company to a point where he can sell it for you know multiple seven figures and we'd often chat about you know if he gets there but dot dot dot and the dot dot dot is if he gets there and he has you know no friends to celebrate is it still a success if he gets there and his parents aren't still alive is it still a success you know and I think about that even with my podcast you know I put we're six days a week on the podcast we're grinding hard and you know if I get to the point where it's the Big Joe Rogan 200 Milli year contract or I have no one to share that Success With or I've become a twisted and depressed person in the process is that success and I wondered out with cycling teams like you're turning into you know probably Britain's best GC chance at the moment you know amazing rights in the Vuelta but like is there a cost of success that you're not willing to to endure like if you were to win the Tour de France 10 years from now but at whatever expense but you know you're not going to have the same friend circles you're not going to have the same relationship with your family you're not going to have the same enjoyment riding the bike would the journey be worth it yeah that's a really that's a really interesting point I I kind of I almost think that that's maybe something that I I I sometimes think that's something that I lack is that is that winning at all all cost or like succeeding at all costs I almost think that I I think I'd rather I'd rather I'd basically what I'm saying is I'd rather be obviously I want to win bike races I think everyone every Pro Rider wants to wants to win bike races but I can't I don't I don't see that as it's my own happiness is a lot more important and nothing just you know I think it's easy for me to say like oh I would I would have still kept riding if I was a I was a wasn't a pro or wasn't a successful bike rider but I really think that's true and I think that's I would still be just like going out riding my bike exploring just take doing the more sort of simple things associated with with the job and yeah I don't I think I I think I don't value winning maybe as much as as some other people do I think you know that's not to say that say in the world when I there was one stage that I I really should have won I I was more devastated than I've ever probably been in my life that's that's that's true but I still think I'm not you know I'm not I'm not so so hung up on being the most successful cyclist ever I kind of I'd like to just be like oh he was a really great cyclist and just be be happy I feel like that's that's almost and have have a nice family and be happy I feel like that's that's almost more important than yeah then winning I tried to climb this one yeah I tried to climb that Cyclone ladder and kind of got uh when I moved abroad I signed for a team in the US a continental started making a bit of cash but almost as soon as I got there I was like the opportunity cost like by that I mean the cost that I order stuff I was missing out on just wasn't worth it for me I was like you know a lot of people are going yeah whatever you're good enough and that's probably the reality as well I wasn't good enough well at that point I was like I'm missing like my parents 25th 30th wedding anniversary I'm missing my sister's graduation I'm missing my best friends engagement party I'm like the cost is just not worth it you know there's obviously no guaranteed success and I'm like I could stay out here another year I could go back to Belgium and try and get a contract but it's like it just wasn't worth it for me to miss out on those moments and I think about someone like Wiggins who you know one of the most successful writers of all time you know Tour de France I don't know how many goals he has on the track but is that what success looks like when you come out the Fireside and you're a bit of a broken man like I don't it just doesn't seem like the trade-off is worth it yeah but it I I yeah I think I'd I think basically I think I'd just like to to go out go about being as as successful as I can be in the sport and you know maintaining you know being being happy I think that's almost one of the reasons why I've tried to you know I'm still gonna I'm still planning on living in the UK next year provided you know everything with brexit doesn't make things too difficult but I you know I think that's that's because basically because that's a that's part of I see that as me being happy is me just feeling feeling at home and then when I you know go over to training camps and races that's when I'm you know away from not necessarily I Still Still obviously happy the races and the training grounds or whatever but I think you do have to you really have to switch off in this doing this because it's yeah it's I think if you become all encompassed by cycling it almost it can be a bit it can be quite too much I reckon I think if I went I don't think I'd be a better Rider if I went and I mean maybe I would be happy it's like working out the balance of what what's best for not just your own your own cycling career but your own just future happiness and then that's the problem is like you're saying you're happier at home maybe living in our daughter you get an extra two three percent performance out here but how many years do you get that Alfred you get it out for another two another tree and if you're at home maybe you develop a little bit slower but the compounds are effective being in the world tour like each year now you can draw on the experience of two years three years four years that also makes you a better writer so being around for a longer period of time arguably gives you a greater chance of winning the big grand Tours yeah I think I think that's yeah I think you know if I ever did switch to sort of looking at GC and whatever then maybe other you know I'd have to approach things a different way but I think at the moment the way you know I'd like to see the next sort of three you know obviously I'm still with I'm with this team for another three years now and I'd sort of like to see pretty much the same sort of structure of the Season as as the last the last two years I've kind of really enjoyed going for you know full flat out for the classics then having a bit of a break then you know building up to the to the tour and sort of providing the job the tour and then taking my own opportunities there I think that's that's kind of that's my ideal season I think that's the most because the classics are the most fun and you know you can get if you kind of really really go for it you can get I feel I can get I'm just gonna get better and better I feel like you know each each Flanders I was sort of getting I've done a sort of improved so yeah yeah what are we like seventh last year yeah yeah but it really felt like that especially not especially in that race 2020 it didn't finish and the next year I sort of got to the end and then last year obviously you know it's all about knowing the course and knowing what's coming and and positioning and all that and I you know you it's all it's just experience I remember at the bottom of the it was the bottom of the Clermont I was like you were in good position into that I was like oh he's on a good day today the second time or the yeah but when the second time in the most scariest one of the scariest fights for a position that you'll ever do when you're coming down it's it's called the new Grandma it's just the big tarmac road that you then coming down that road sort of everyone knows they need to be in the front coming to the Claremont and then you've got a right turn and then you can head off to head off towards the Claremont but that's like I remember that day remember then just being like oh I've nailed this and I think you know I might may not nail it next year but I think it's experience that but I think I think I've got a good I've got a good way of sort of I can just kind of absorb absorb I don't know how to absorb the information and I think and learn learn quite quickly with these with these sort of things obviously I had a bit I had a bit of school like maybe I don't know like just I was quite good at remembering facts for say for like a I don't know if I was doing like trying to remember a date for history or something like that I'd be quite I'm quite good at remember so so for like the courses for the classics it's quite helpful because I'm like okay this climbs next then this time then then that then you do that turn and you know I feel like that's that's really useful to be able to sort of and already you know now I feel like I I know them you know going into next you know them know them pretty well which is quite exciting exercise it's November and I feel about October and I feel rubbish on my bike but I'm still looking forward to classics well like is it intimidating or do you feel super at home now around that company like I'm just trying to think back to that break like it's coming into the end of the bike race it's wonderful gacha it's Dylan Van Burl it's like these are some of the best classic Spike riders in the world and you're in Ron Von flanderen biggest one day race in the world and you're at the very front of the bike race does that feel normal or no I feel like you're having an outer body experience watching someone else I think that was a little bit out of Body Experience kind of thing but I did sort of have a feeling going into the race sort of preparation wise and the kind of general feeling of the team and like them knowing the course and everything I thought I kind of that was one of the first times I I really felt like it was going to go well I didn't think it was going to go that well but I kind of was I had a lot of faith in you know and that was the first time for such a big race I've had that kind of that sort of sensation of oh this is gonna go I'm in really good shape this is going to be this is going to be good I'll sort of the first and yeah and in the end it it really was but I do sort of have that feeling sometimes of sort of being a bit you know almost you kind of especially now when when you've just come off off season and I'm just riding my bike again and feeling pretty sluggish I think it's you must that that what who I was doing that those you know doing that then is so feels so far away it almost feels like it's a it was a it was a different person I remember back when I was riding for a French team I went across to Canada and I guessed for a Canadian team for a few weeks over in Toronto and there was a race over there and I snuck into the break and at the time the break was Michael Barry from sky and wrote Our hairstyle from Garmin who just won the Euro that year I think and I was in the move and I rolled as much as I could and then you know it 46 laps later in this Chris I'm like I can't Roy the legs are coming off me and Reuters screaming at me to ride and I'm trying to say to him like I'm not bro I want to write like I really do want a ride with you like my family are here watching I want to write I can't write there's a difference between not want to write and not being able to write did you have that moment where Vanderpool gotcha where they're kind of looking at you and gone are you riding here on what's going on or is there any abuse going on now you know what what in terms here in there and there I was swinging and I the thing is I think they just they are so good and that they're that such high level that they almost didn't care they were like no this they knew you know maybe they would maybe they were underestimate they'd well they I did get dropped so they were right so but I think they were so kind of like weird you know they kind of both knew that those they were the two guys that were gonna Gonna Fly Away when we did the Clermont and the patio for the last time which was true they did but I think yeah it is yeah I was quite surprised I kind of thought they'd have they'd sort of say something but they were just you know so focused and so like yeah this guy he'll we'll just drop him it's no no stress what was the big step up for a year last year because I was looking at your palmaris before the interview and I knew he had a lot of top tens in the world time but you hit seven top tens including three podiums in this year as well like it was a huge breakthrough year is there anything you can put it down to or is it just a compound and effective experience year after yeah I think yeah I think that's that is a that is a big part of it just being that sort of one two percent stronger so you can almost you know I don't think okay you know if you looked at like raw data and numbers I probably haven't gotten that much better but it is it's not a lot that you need to get better to then suddenly you you know your head's not you can think a bit more clearly and make make more sort of make better decision decisions in races and save energy better because yeah I kind of know and it's also an understanding you know I kind of know my know my own sort of my limits a little bit more I sort of yeah and yeah I'm confident I think especially after Flanders I kind of I I was like what like in the finals that means I'm I'm pretty good like in going into other races after that it's like yeah I was seven in Flanders I can I'm I should be here I should I should be doing that it's kind of almost yeah which is you know I feel like some people don't have that where they they need they kind of have have that confidence in themselves but I think I sort of almost sometimes need like no no you are you are a really you are a good bike rider you you were 17 Flanders you can you can you know close that Gap or go in front of that guy because you know he you just you yeah yeah I don't know it's interesting like the feeling because I think you only sort of feel as good as your the sort of last result you have but how difficult was the the blowout of stage 16 and the crash with Rockledge how difficult was that to do actually suppose even before we answer that because some people might even know what we're talking about there was a comment online I think it was for you guys coming to the line roglish was second on GC at the time Remco may or may not have been fading it looked like rugless was coin is starting to chip away as GC lead crash happened a couple of days later roglitch comes out with a statement and I have it written there on it so my conclusion is that the way the crash happened was unacceptable the crash was not caused by a bad Road or lack of safety but by a Reuters Behavior rice came from behind and rolled the handlebars out of my hands before I knew it is that like a little bit of a [ __ ] meal of that statement yeah I think I was really you know the team me sort of went went about it like really I think the team were really helpful kind of especially when they released that statement sort of getting me to they were just like no don't speak to anyone on any journalists just get get straight back on the bus and yeah then the the sort of social media guys sort of told me about the statement and yeah I was pretty pretty shocked because yeah it was just a race just a racing just the racing incident I don't think it's any any more than that and it's just but in the end you know it was really hard that evening because also I just came second on the stage that stage and you know you're coming we were coming to the end of the world there's there's already quite a lot of them like quite a lot of sort of feelings there and then for that to be on top you know I didn't I didn't sleep at all that evening and yeah I it was weird but I think it was good to kind of deal with have to try and deal with deal with something like that because you know it's in the end it worked out really really well for me but I think it's you know sometimes sometimes you can you know make a mistake or whatever and then especially with social media now people sort of people jump on you and you can jump on you for things and I think you know later down the line I think I'll probably have again be able to use that experience to to help me deal with because basically the weather is I kind of quickly realize whether it's good good good things to good positive things people are saying towards you or bad things it's better just to not look at any of it I think it it you know have you talked to Roger since no I haven't actually I haven't I'm looking forward to seeing him in the race in a race next year and be like how how's it going yeah it was straight it was changed but in the end there's people that I felt was missed people making memes and stuff no I thought it was missed where it was stole as like context matters like I'm a Cyclone fan I watch you know almost every race that's on I produced a podcast six days a week and someone says to me Fred right I'm like well he's not a dangerous Rider he's not a malicious Rider someone says to me NASA buhani I'm like he's like the Tasmanian devil like context matters if you've done a lot of crazy [ __ ] in the past you don't deserve the benefit of the death but if you're a very safe ride or whatever to track records of dangerous to be honest you deserve the benefit of the deal in a race and incident to be honest I I almost think I'm that's one thing I've got to try and you know you know with Classics and stuff I'd like I felt like I got it right at Flanders but I sometimes feel I need to be a bit more be a bit better at sort of pushing my way into things so it was it was quite funny that especially my dad my I remember my dad's sort of saying like you know you almost can't believe that that's those are the accusations they're making because he sort of sees me as a kid but you know I didn't want to go on the scary roller coaster when I was six years I didn't want to go on this a roller coaster whatever when I was six years old because I was scared about it the fact that that that that kid is now getting accused of being dangerous and knocking off criminal chocolates it's just quite funny that was your chance to feel this badass reputation you just needed to issue a statement saying I see them coming and I don't know that was it I don't know I think this is yeah it's quite funny I think yeah people who know me kind of don't just can't imagine yeah there'd be in any thought of Melissa I did think though after the when I you know across the line I knew he'd crashed I was like oh this I wonder what's gonna happen with this I forgot I did have a feeling I was like okay just crashed and I I did touch him like I wonder what what people I hope I really was like I hope this doesn't like I didn't do anything wrong and then but I still afterwards I was like knowing it was him and knowing yeah knowing that it was probably quite a nasty crash I was like oh I hope it's okay and I hope yeah I hope I don't get canceled for this Sprint Sprints are dangerous though cycling's dangerous that's the thing it's so dangerous and yeah yeah I think if anything he if I had a crashed as well I would have it would have been his fault as well that was the other thing he was the one sort of deviating from his line almost a bit like a almost a bit like you know in lead out a lot of lead out men stick when they swing off from doing their lead out I'm going to come back and then sort of drift back into the line sort of to block the other sprinters yeah kind of what that's pretty much what what Rolex did it's not the same the same kind of move the same kind of movement as a lead-up man that was coming back back into the the sprinting line and sort of messing up the mess up the sprinters while they're spinning one that wins the race but anyway anyway I just think that I just I have a beef word at the moment like it's you know we need to punish uh Behavior not consequences so the tour of Poland crash wasn't like two years ago with Jacobson and grown away again like that was some crazy [ __ ] because grown away again no matter how many times you look at that yay deviates from his lion but he closes the barriers like every Sprinter in the World closes the barriers you get passed on your inside as a sprinter like I've had great people on the podcast and he's like you learn it when you're 12 years old in Germany don't get past on the barriers growing away again goes to the barriers Jacobson goes for The Gap he has breaks he doesn't need to go for the Gap he goes yeah and then grun away and gets canceled it's like don't go for the cup yeah you had a choice almost after the Rolex thing off of the stage I was almost a bit annoying myself because you know I basically could have done a bit better in the Sprint because I was fourth behind I felt I could have had any sort of role I wouldn't have beaten Patterson but I definitely would have I'm would have rolled sort of um than popular or Ackerman if I didn't have to like put stop when roglitch sort of came came across into me I kind of was like I wish I'd just gone out and and actually started sprinting around on purple but if if I had done that that would have looked you know maybe a Sprint a proper Sprinter would have done you they would have completely sent wrong listen it would have looked you know would have looked awful so I'm maybe it's a good thing it's a good thing I didn't do that yeah and came forth instead of second or third and really took took it out I don't know it's yeah what's success look like for your next season Fred um winning winning a bike race of some kind would be nice I think it's almost become I don't know people are sort of created this like oh you when's he gonna win a race but I don't I don't think it I have to win a race I just would really really like to and it would feel like the right progression from last year I feel like each year I've sort of learned from from you know all the races I've done and yeah I think winning winning the bike race winning the stage of like parinees or maybe even a stage of the tour who knows that would be that would be really nice and then in the classics wise I think yeah a podium in a big one would be amazing that's kind of what I'm what I'm driving dreaming of next year putting him in a big one and maybe being yeah winning a winning a smaller one but those are those are quite questions but yeah give me a heads up if you're moving well for a Flanders I'm gonna stick a sneaky feeling yeah yeah do it I think that that would be the plan but yeah I don't know I think I think I'm someone that doesn't really again I don't have to do those things I really I would want those things more than a lot of other things but I I don't think I wouldn't have failed if I didn't achieve those things just like I don't think I've okay maybe I was really good that I didn't win that stage of the water but I definitely didn't I definitely didn't fail basically would you take your seven top tens in last year's Welter and stop them swap them for one stage where next year um yeah definitely without a doubt I think it was nice sort of being up there each time but I think putting putting their hands in the air for a stage of a grand Tours yeah I just hope that I don't get to the end of my career and I'm like damn I wish I'd um I wish I'd won that season but I'm sure I'm sure I won't sure they'll be they'll be they'll definitely be more opportunities I got good enough at creating the opportunity so I I was getting good at that bit so just got to do that more and then finish off at the end that's the that's the place just put the pieces together and I love your attitude of it's not success at all costs like you still need to be there down to earth you know English lad at the end of all this you still need to be allowed who can go for a beer with his mates who can head over to a friend's house and play computer games it's not you know I'm gonna win the Tour I'm gonna win a stage of the tour you know [ __ ] everything else yeah I think I think that in in I think in trying to be like that it almost will end up creating more opportunities because each time you that's my thinking anyways each time it doesn't go so well you're already thinking about okay what we're gonna do the next time I do think I think about maybe you know it took me a few days to move on from that the well stage seven that I I'm cutting the Sprint up that was really light off but you know ended up sort of mixing it in with yeah with a few more stages after that which was which was good yeah yeah Fred we're ready thanks for joining me podcast folks thanks for tuning in to another episode of the road man cycling podcast I loved chatting with Fred once a week we're gonna have these amazing long-form discussions here on YouTube so please take a second to like this video And subscribe to the channel so you don't miss future videos

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What did Fred Wright say about the Primoz Roglic crash at the Vuelta 2022?+

Fred Wright stated that the crash during the 2022 Vuelta a España resulted from another rider's behaviour rather than road conditions or a safety failure on his part. He explained that his team instructed him to stay away from the media while they waited for Jumbo-Visma to issue an official statement before he spoke publicly about the incident.

Was Fred Wright to blame for Roglic crashing out of the Vuelta a España?+

Fred Wright addressed this directly on the Roadman Podcast, making clear that the incident was caused by a rider's actions rather than any fault of his own. Jumbo-Visma issued a statement following the crash, after which Wright's team allowed him to comment on what had happened.

What is Fred Wright's background and upbringing?+

Fred Wright grew up in a working-class area of London and was raised with a strong hands-on influence from his father, who worked as an actor. He credits that grounded upbringing with shaping his outlook, and feels at odds with the watches-and-cars culture he encounters among many WorldTour riders.

How does Fred Wright feel about the lifestyle and culture in professional cycling?+

Wright has spoken openly about feeling outside the materialistic culture that exists in parts of the WorldTour peloton, where expensive watches and cars are common status symbols. He regards staying grounded as more important than chasing the trappings that often come with professional success at that level.

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Key Takeaways

Childhood experiences—from your parents' work ethic to how they allocate time and resources—have a lasting generational impact on how you approach money, ambition, and relationships

The cost of success in professional cycling is real: missing family milestones, upgrading your lifestyle, and losing friendships can erode happiness faster than winning races builds it

Experience compounds quickly in racing; a small 1-2% improvement in fitness combined with better decision-making, course knowledge, and positioning can deliver disproportionate results

In sprint incidents, context and track record matter—a safe rider deserves the benefit of the doubt in a racing incident, whereas a repeat offender should be judged more harshly

Accessibility and diversity in cycling are limited by equipment costs and lack of structured development pathways; one-off World Tour signings don't create lasting change without proper junior and U23 progression

Living at home in the UK and maintaining personal relationships is worth more to Fred than chasing marginal performance gains that require constant relocation and sacrifice

Expert Quotes

"I'd rather be happy and successful than successful and miserable. I think my own happiness is a lot more important."

"The crash was not caused by a bad road or lack of safety but by a Reuters behaviour. Rice came from behind and rolled the handlebars out of my hands before I knew it."

"I think if you become all encompassed by cycling it almost can be quite too much. You really have to switch off because it's not just about your cycling career but your own future happiness."

"Context matters—if you've done a lot of crazy stuff in the past you don't deserve the benefit of the doubt, but if you're a very safe rider with a clean track record you deserve the benefit of the doubt in a race incident."

KEY QUOTES

“I almost think that I I think I'd rather I'd rather I'd basically what I'm saying is I'd rather be obviously I want to win bike races I think everyone every Pro Rider wants to wants to win bike races but I can't I don't I don't see that as it's my own happiness is a lot more important.”
Fred Wright — Professional cyclist, Bahrain Victorious

“the crash was not caused by a bad Road or lack of safety but by a Reuters Behavior right came from behind and rolled the handlebars out of my hands before I knew it they were just like no don't speak to anyone just get get straight back on the bus and then the sort of social media guys told me about the statement and yeah I was pretty shocked.”
Fred Wright — Professional cyclist, Bahrain Victorious

“I still drive the same um I still drive the car that I I learned so I've passed my test with which is my my granny's old car it's a Vauxhall aguiler it's a horrible little granny this is just a little granny car but I you know I haven't given myself the time to work out what what the upgrade is going to be and I kind of almost see it as a bit of a maybe a little bit of a I wouldn't say a waste of money getting a nicer car but I've kind of you know got priorities on sort of having a house.”
Fred Wright — Professional cyclist, Bahrain Victorious

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What did Fred Wright say about the Primoz Roglic crash at the Vuelta 2022?+

Was Fred Wright to blame for Roglic crashing out of the Vuelta a España?+

What is Fred Wright's background and upbringing?+

How does Fred Wright feel about the lifestyle and culture in professional cycling?+

FRED WRIGHT OPENS UP ABOUT PRIMOZ ROGLIC CRASH | ROADMAN PODCAST

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The Roglic Crash and Fred's Origins

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The Roglic Crash and Fred's Origins

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The Roglic Crash and Fred's Origins

Cycling's Missing Continent