Last summer, a place in GB’s team for the Paris Olympics seemed such a remote possibility for Charlie Aldridge that he hadn’t even considered it.
But a year on, the 23-year-old mountain biker from Perth is on the verge of making his Olympic debut.
Aldridge has long been recognised as a precocious talent – he was crowned junior world champion in 2019 and under-23 world champion last year – but even he didn’t foresee himself making his Olympic debut quite this early in his career.
However, despite the transition from under-23 racing to elite being notoriously tricky, Aldridge has navigated the path almost seamlessly, with the Scot managing to compete admirably the world’s very best in his first season as an elite rider.
His most notable result of 2024 is his podium place in the Mountain Bike World Cup event in Nové Mĕsto in the Czech Republic in May which, admits Aldridge, was hugely significant not only for his Olympic qualification hopes but also for his self-belief.
“My first World Cup podium was pretty big for me. This year I came in hoping for some better results than last season when my best elite finish was seventh so to get onto the podium was massive and a huge confidence boost for me," he says.
“It was also really important because it made sure GB got two spots at the Olympics – there’d been pressure to get that but despite that pressure, I managed to pull it off and that gave me the chance to be at this point now.”
At Paris 2024, which begins on Friday, Aldridge will contest the cross-country mountain bike event alongside his GB teammate, current Olympic and World Champion Tom Pidcock, and with the Scot somewhat surprised by his rapid rise to Olympic team status, he goes into the Olympics with relatively little pressure upon his shoulders, particularly as all eyes will be on Pidcock as the primary British medal hope.
That underdog status will, hopes Aldridge, be of benefit to him but that doesn’t mean the Perth rider will be taking things easy once he’s on the start line.
“With this Olympics never having been in the plan, it feels like an exciting bonus more than anything,” he says.
“I don’t feel like there’s pressure on me and I’m not really setting many targets for myself, I just want to have the best race I can and then see what happens.
“Getting on the podium would be amazing but that’s everyone’s goal so that’ll be very tough. You always race for the win but I’ll also just enjoy being part of the Olympics.”
Ironically, given the sport’s biggest prize is on the line in Paris, the Olympic mountain bike event is likely to be somewhat less frantic an occasion than the regular World Cup events, with the Olympic field consisting of significantly fewer riders.
Aldridge is under no illusions, however, that the energy he’ll have to exert over the 90 minutes-or-so of his race - which takes place on the first Monday of the Games - will be just as considerable as always which, he admits, will ensure there's a few butterflies in his stomach as he’s waiting for the gun to go.
“In the Olympics, there’s only 40 riders rather than 140 in the World Cups so it’ll still be as hard physically as every race is but with fewer riders, there’ll probably be less carnage," he says.
“On the line in Paris, I think I’ll just feel so excited to be there. I always try to smile on the start line because that really helps me control my feelings.
“The nerves are more because I know it’s going to really hurt physically rather than any fear of getting injured. You push so hard during races – my heart rate will be around 190 for the entire race, so it’s very tough.”
Aldridge will go into Paris with few tactics other than to ensure he gives everything he’s got on his Olympic debut.
And that, he hopes, will be enough to put him towards the front of the pack for as long as possible.
“Pacing yourself is a massive thing in these big races – it’s not a sprint, it’s an hour and a half of racing so it’s easy to go too hard and blow up. And you really don’t want that to happen,” he says.
“I do set out quite fast in races and sometimes I last and sometimes I don’t so hopefully in Paris, I’ll be able to stay at the front for as long as possible.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here