Ed Clancy admits the Milk Race holds a special place in his affections.
As a young child, Huddersfield’s double Olympic champion remembers the event powering through Holmfirth and over Holme Moss and it fired his enthusiasm for the sport.
Now, after finishing on the podium in the Elite Men’s section of the 2013 Milk Race (the first for 20 years), Rapha Condor-JLT team rider Clancy has helped launch this year’s event by taking part in a spin class in Nottingham alongside former Milk Race winner Malcolm Elliot and Katie Archibald, part of GB’s World and European Champion women’s pursuit team.
“It’s great to have Milk back supporting the race and, for me, it’s a special event because it’s the first cycling event I ever saw,” said Clancy, who will be among the favourites racing on Sunday, May 25.
“I remember going up on the road past Joe’s Cycles in Holmfirth and along to Holmbridge, seeing all the racers come through on their way up to Holme Moss.
“I watched with my grandad, Richard Cate, who used to live in Denby Dale but is now down south, and the memory has always stayed with me, although the Milk Race is a very different event these days.”
Last year Clancy was third behind winning teammate Felix English and Team Raleigh’s Alexandre Blain and hopes this year to try and go better following a disappointing World Track Championships.
“People ask why track cyclists would take part in something like the Milk Race, but behind the scenes 85% to 90% of our training for the track is done on the road,” he explained.
“All the road work we do kind of underwrites what you do on the track, because you can add the track experience at the last minute really. The vast majority of our work has always been done, and always will be done, in road races and it’s important not just as a training tool, but something you can get your teeth into.
“The track World Championships were a big disappointment for us – the Team Pursuit was a shocker – although we are always trying different things in training.
“This year we put a lot of emphasis on speed strength on the track and not so much on the Majorca camps, so we were trying to build skyscrapers in the sand because we didn’t have a foundation of fitness.
“We need to look at how we approach these World Championships if we want to take them seriously and do well – and things will change.
“There’s nobody better than British Cycling for getting things right on the big day, like the Olympics, but perhaps we need to re-evaluate what we do in regard to these mid-championships. I’m sure we will do.”
Clancy is delighted, too, that the Tour de France Grand Depart will come through the area where he grew up.
“I would never have thought the Tour de France would come through Huddersfield and the Holme Valley, never in a million years, but it’s brilliant,” he added.
“I’m sure everyone will make the most of it, interest will filter down to local clubs and local racers as well and I’m certainly looking forward to it.”
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