Ethan Hayter stays grounded despite high praise from Ed Clancy

“I think I called him a k***,” Hayter told the PA news agency.

Clancy referred to himself as being like Morpheus from The Matrix when making the comparison – a reference lost on the 21-year-old Hayter who thinks he maybe saw the film once, several years ago, but cannot remember.

Either way, Clancy was clear what he meant. In Hayter’s slight build and huge engine, Clancy – a former team-mate of the likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas – sees huge potential.

But the softly-spoken Londoner would rather not make such bold claims for himself.

“It’s a massive compliment, but it doesn’t really change that much, if you know what I mean,” Hayter said. “Everyone’s still trying to be the best they can all the time.

“What is a nice confidence boost is Ed quite often says about everyone that we’re one of the best committed groups he’s worked with, which is almost more rewarding.”

Hayter’s efforts have brought plenty of rewards already. He was a world and European champion on the track at the age of 19, while on the road last year he took stage wins in two prestigious youth races – the Baby Giro and Tour de l’Avenir – as well as fifth overall in Britain’s national road race.

Hayter expected to be in the final stages of preparations for the Olympics now, before the coronavirus pandemic forced the Tokyo Games to be postponed by 12 months.

While disappointed by that news, Hayter accepts there was no alternative and quickly came to terms with the delay.

“I wouldn’t say it was that hard at all for me,” he said. “I’ve only really thought I could go to the Olympics for two years now, so another year is not that much in the grand scheme of things.

“I didn’t really dare to dream for a long time.

“It was only when I was a world champion I thought, ‘OK, I could actually have my name in the hat.”

Editor’s note: First and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you. James Mitchinson, Editor