Clancy feels extra pressure in defending world title

The 26-year-old from Barnsley is a team player at heart and will be going all out for victory in his favoured pursuit race alongside Steven Burke, Andy Tennant and Pete Kennaugh in Apeldoorn on the first day of the world track championships today.

But as defending world champion and a winner of a World Cup race in Columbia this season in the multi-displined omnium, he accepts there will be a lot of focus on his performance in the individual event, which begins on Friday.

“I’m one of the favourites, but I wouldn’t say I’m the favourite,” said Clancy, who listed New Zealand’s Shane Archbold and Holland’s Tim Veldt as the main challengers for his title.

“It’s not like a team pursuit, it’s a bit of an unpredictable event.

“There’s a little bit more pressure this year as defending world champion and one of the favourites, but at least I know what I’m doing this time around.”

A revised omnium format, featuring a flying 200m, a points race, an elimination race – something which was not part of the event 12 months ago – a four-kilometre individual pursuit, a scratch race and a one-kilometre time-trial is what Clancy faces, but only after he has finished competing in the team pursuit.

“It’s going to be a little bit more pressure, but I never really feel it like I do for the team pursuit – that’s the one that makes you nervous on the start line,” said the Olympic team pursuit champion.

“In the omnium, the nerves are spread out over two days – there are six events to win or lose.

“In the team pursuit you decide your own fate in less than four minutes. As soon as the gun goes it’s intense and compacted into one event.”

It is against the clock where Clancy has thrived in the omnium and he is confident he can medal whenever he competes.

He added: “The good things for me are the flying 200, the kilometre and the pursuit. I can almost guarantee I’ll do well in those events.”

Rotherham road racer Ben Swift – who along with Clancy, Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas and Kennaugh are contenders to be Britain’s representatives in the omnium at the London Olympics – is not in the world championships as he continues his road racing season, while Otley’s Lizzie Armitstead misses out with a side strain.

Sir Chris Hoy rides with Jason Kenny and Matt Crampton in the three-lap team sprint today.