Road to 2012:
David Fletcher: “What happens in the past stays in the past.”
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A music lover would no doubt say that David Fletcher’s 2011 campaign had all the ingredients of an unfinished symphony. Five rounds into the under-23 World Cup, the Nottinghamshire-born rider was building nicely to a crescendo, barring one bum note when he double punctured at Offenburg in round three. Fletcher was truly on song by round five at Windham (USA) with a career-best fifth place, before the cymbal crash of a broken wrist saw his season come to an abrupt end days before the British Championships; ultimately forcing his retirement from the final rounds of World Cup competition and the World Championships – the major focus of his season.
Asking the junior World Championship medallist to sum up a season which promised much but ended in frustration Fletcher was immediate in his response.
“It’s been a short one! The first part was good – I was up where I wanted to be, progressing quick and then it kind of stopped when I broke my wrist. I only returned to racing after the World Championships and really I wasn’t going the way I wanted to.”
With such an important year ahead and Olympic qualification a huge target for British Cycling’s mountain bike Programme, we asked how he went about putting the frustrations of 2011 to bed. The wrist now fully healed and midway through a winter cyclo-cross campaign, David’s response was measured and philosophical.
“I guess you’ve just got to make the most of what you’ve got at the moment, put it in the past. What happens in the past stays in the past. There’s nothing you can do about it now.”
A level headed Fletcher underlined his pragmatic philosophy; “You can do all the gym work and recuperation, exercises and stuff to get back into the swing of things – just getting your head back on I guess.”
It was clear that Fletcher was far more keen on talking about the present and future, detailing how his current campaign at the National Trophy Series was helping to rebuild form following an eight-week post-injury lay-off.
A sixth place finish at Derby behind series leader Paul Oldham is one indication some form is returning. “It was good” said Fletcher, “I got a really good start but I kind of died towards the end because I haven’t done any serious training for cross. I was pleased with sixth, could have been better.” Fletcher went on to praise Oldham before assessing his own progress; “Oldham is flying this year, absolutely flying. But I’m happy, I’ve had a fifth and two sixths so I’m in the top three overall even though I missed a round.”
However, once the winter ‘cross season is over there will be only one thing on Fletcher’s mind – London 2012, with the travelling circus of the World Cups serving as crucial stepping stones to Hadleigh: “I’ll just go from World Cup to World Cup and then hopefully gain selection for the Olympics. The main focus will be around the Olympics next year.”
