Ed Clancy is ready to defend his world omnium crown during what should be a busy week in Holland.
Yorkshireman aiming for rainbow jersey repeat
Ed Clancy is ready to defend his world omnium crown in Holland this week, but will be focusing primarily on adding the team pursuit title to his vast list of achievements.
The 26-year-old Olympic team pursuit champion surprised even himself with victory in the multi-event discipline 12 months ago, but will be one of the favourites at the Track Cycling World Championships in Apeldoorn between 23-27 March.
Clancy, though, is relaxed about the omnium and has done no specific preparation, with Wednesday's four-man, four-kilometre pursuit being his main worry.
Clancy said: "I don't feel massive pressure for the omnium. It's the second race.
"I get a bit nervous and stressed for the first race of the week and after that I calm down a little bit.
"Once I've done the team pursuit I feel a little bit more chilled out.
"And in the omnium the nerves are spread out over two days - there are six events to win or lose it."
Clancy knows there will be more expectation on him this week, with the world champion's rainbow jersey to defend, beginning on Friday.
He added: "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.
"You decide your own fate in less than four minutes. As soon as the gun goes it's intense and compacted into one event."
Inner chimp
Clancy hinted at that stress by revealing news of his consultation with British Cycling psychiatrist Dr Steve Peters - famed for helping athletes control their emotions - in Manchester last month.
On the opening day of the Track World Cup, hours after being persuaded into joining Twitter by team-mates Geraint Thomas and Bradley Wiggins, Clancy wrote: "just seen our team psych.... you're in danger of going temporarily insane, you need to look after your inner chimp.'
Clancy, as is usually the case, stepped up two days later to be part of Britain's gold medal-winning quartet alongside Wiggins, Thomas and Steven Burke to gold.
Wiggins and Thomas are absent this week and Clancy will be joined in the team pursuit squad by Burke, Andy Tennant and Pete Kennaugh, with 18-year-old Sam Harrison the reserve.
Despite missing his fellow Olympic champions, Clancy is optimistic.
He added: "I don't think we've got a bad team at all. I think we've got a good chance."
