Ed Clancy (England)

 

15th of March, 2006; by Larry Hickmott

Home Nations for Commonwealth Games

 

 

One rider having a tough time of it is Team Pursuiter Ed Clancy. Here's a rider who in Sydney despite not being on the top of his Game, still helped a young team ride their way to a Bronze medal and a 4.09 in the Team Pursuit. He admits he's now fighting his way back after a loss of form which has got to him at times.

"I was on a bit of a downer a few ago when it was my 21st birthday and I didn't want to be here going like this. So I guess I am pretty nervous. This is different to the Worlds last year when I was going well and I had good form. Right now I am making the best of a bad situation but I need to get better to be where I want to be. I've been doing a lot of endurance work, zone 3 stuff, and its improved my fitness no end and I'm going well in time trials and up hill but I have lost a lot of peak power."

Talking about his first experience of being at a 'Games', he says "Village life is really weird because you see lots of strange shapes and sizes of people. It's a strange sort of bubble world but there's lots of free good food. The hardest thing about being in the village is staying focused. Its tempting to get out and kick a football around or go and watch some Rugby but we have to nail ourselves to our beds and try and keep our feet up as much as possible."

"Most of us have our lap tops and spend a fair bit of time on the wifi."

Looking ahead to the Games, Ed is fifth man for the Team Pursuit and will be riding the Points. Although not where he wants to be form wise, he does admit he's not creeping either and isn't far away from the form the senior riders have.

 

We wish Ed lots of luck in his Commonwealth Games events.