From a career-threatening injury to Olympic immortality. The untold story of how Britain’s most decorated team pursuiter fought through isolation, doubt and unbearable pressure to make history.
I know what you’re thinking. How could a three-time Olympic champion be considered an underdog? But Ed Clancy’s story isn’t just about the gold medals. It’s about the battles he fought behind the track.
What makes Team Pursuit so brutal?
It’s the most nerve-wracking. You’re not just riding for yourself. You’re riding for your nation. You’re riding for your three best mates. You don’t want to let anyone down. You’re trying to walk a tightrope at 45mph.
What was it like competing at London 2012?
I can’t put into words how much pressure I felt. I had the weight of the world on my shoulders.
How did it feel to win a gold medal at a home Olympics?
No high can compete with that. But achievements are like possessions. Their appeal doesn’t last. It’s the same for gold medals. So, after eighteen months, I got used to it. I had an existential crisis that followed such a high.
Were you planning to go to Rio?
I was until my injury.
What was your injury?
I had a prolapsed disc in my back after trying to pick up a suitcase.
Was that your lowest moment?
Yes. I remember waking up on the operating table nine months before Rio. I thought, ‘I don’t know how I will do this. Not just the Olympics. How am I going be a professional cyclist? How am I going pay the bills?’
How did that feel?
It was lonely. It was hard. I was alone for six out of those nine months on the turbo trainer in the garage.
How did you overcome the adversity?
I was fortunate to have people around me who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.
Was it all worth it?
Definitely, when we won that gold medal in Rio by all of a tenth of a second against our famous rivals, the Aussies, it felt amazing.
What made it different to winning at London 2012?
I could appreciate it more because of everything I’d been through. It was my proudest moment in sport.
