|
Two-time Olympic champion Ed Clancy believes the 2013 UCI Juniors Track World Championships in Glasgow will provide an invaluable opportunity for Great Britain’s future stars to shine.
The Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome will welcome the next generation of track talent for five days of competition from 7-11 August, ahead of the venue hosting 2014 Commonwealth Games cycling.
Clancy competed at the championships in 2003 in Moscow, then aged 18, finishing ninth in the team pursuit alongside Matt Brammeier, Tom Walter and Geraint Thomas, as well as 12th in the individual pursuit.
It was an experience the 28-year-old cites as crucial in his development, having gone on to win two gold medals at the Beijing and London Olympic Games in the team pursuit as well as five world championships in the four-man discipline.
“I remember when I was a kid this [juniors track worlds] was a massive deal. The biggest thing on my programme,” Clancy, who also won omnium bronze in London, said.
"Ultimately you’ll see tomorrow’s Olympic champions and Commonwealth Games champions riding in the junior track champs here."
Ed Clancy
“I sort of built up to the junior track champs for two years and it’ll be the same for the kids this time around.
“It is a big deal and it’ll mean the selection going on to the senior track programmes for those guys and ultimately you’ll see tomorrow’s Olympic champions and Commonwealth Games champions riding in the junior track champs here.”
The championships have acted as a stepping stone for a number of British Cycling’s Olympic Podium Programme athletes. Sir Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, Laura Trott, Peter Kennaugh, Sir Bradley Wiggins and Becky James are amongst the names to have won titles at the event.
Those selected to represent Great Britain from British Cycling's Olympic Development Programme this summer in Scotland will hope to emulate the successes of previous editions in front of a partisan crowd, whom Clancy thinks will enjoy some entertaining racing.
“If you look at the bigger hitters, we were all there at the junior track champs. I remember it was in Moscow when I was a junior. Andy Tennant and Steven Burke have been there and almost everyone sort of starts riding a bike around that age that goes onto bigger things.
“Junior racing is genuinely very exciting especially the bunch racing. I think at that age the kids don’t have that much fear and they are all very competitive, they want to make it on the big time so I think the spectators will be in for a treat.”
Tickets for the event are available from the official event website.
