WHEN he missed out on selection for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, Scottish cyclist Alistair Rutherford found an effective means to channel his disappointment:
he took up kickboxing.
It transpired he was pretty good, or perhaps simply had a lot of frustration to vent, making it to a purple belt - the seventh of nine grades on the way to black.
Two years would pass before Rutherford turned another pedal and embarked on what would become a decade-long journey. Another attempt to make the Games, this time Delhi in 2010, again fell short before his chance finally came in Glasgow this summer.
Rutherford, 33, isn't keen to dwell on what politics may have been at play in previous years, but he does allude to the fact that he believes his face didn't fit in the Scottish Cycling set-up at that time. "It felt a bit like a closed shop," he says.
Following the arrival of Gary Coltman as head of performance last year, Rutherford submitted what he describes as a "tongue-in-cheek" application for a place on the Scottish squad. "Looking at how I did at the 2013 British National Track Championships, I realised I was one of the best performing Scottish riders," he says. "I had been racing well and decided there was nothing to lose.
"On the back of that application, Gary said they would be interested as long as I made the effort to go up to Glasgow and train with the lads to build a rapport."
The Manchester-based rider, who represents Scotland on account of his Edinburgh-born father, competed in the 40km points race at Glasgow 2014.
Having had his spell in the cycling wilderness, Rutherford knows the meaning of dogged determination better than most. In recent years, he has built a strong palmares which includes team pursuit gold at the 2013 British National Track Championships. That same year he became a double British masters champion, taking gold in the points and scratch races as well as silver in the individual pursuit, in the men's 30-34 years age group. Other career highlights include winning the British omnium title in 2010.
Rutherford, who rides for Rigmar Racers, claimed bronze in the team pursuit at the 2014 British National Track Championships in Manchester last month, and he will be back in action at the Scottish National Track Championships in Glasgow this weekend, targeting the men's point race today and individual pursuit tomorrow.
The opening round of the 2014/15 Revolution Series in London from October 24 to 25 beckons next. Scotland's Team Rigmar, formed by members of the Rigmar Racers including Rutherford and five-time British champion Callum Skinner, will ride in all six rounds of this year's series.
"I want to try and win the points race this weekend because when we go to the main stage at Revolution, it would be nice to be introduced as Scottish national champion," he says. "You are up against world and Olympic champions, so you need a title for credibility."
His nickname is Ali Bongo - after the late comedy musician of the same name - but contrary to his biog in the official Team Scotland handbook, Rutherford doesn't actually play the bongos. "That was just put in as a joke," he says, sheepishly. "I'm not really that interesting."
Away from cycling, Rutherford has a full-time job as a NHS screening and immunisation coordinator - a necessity to make ends meet. "There just isn't any funding out there," he says. "If you look at Conference League footballers, they get £400 a week from their clubs and are just kicking a ball for 90 minutes. We're the equivalent of Premiership footballer level and don't get anything."
The remainder of his time revolves around family life with fiance Hayley, 30, and their sons Reece, two, and 11-month-old Archie. "Sleep is a precious commodity that you don't appreciate until you have young children," he laughs. "You have full-time bike riders who go home and sleep all night with no distractions. I've got my son wanting milk or Peppa Pig at 3am."
As for future ambitions, Rutherford doesn't rule out having a crack at making the team for Gold Coast 2018.
"When you are younger it's easy to get into that cafe culture of simply riding your bike and having a laugh," he says. "Then you reach your thirties, like I am now, and realise that these kind of opportunities don't always come along."
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