OLYMPIC champion Ed Clancy admits he has never felt better on the track as he plots to return to the podium at the World Championships in Denmark.

The 25-year-old leads a five-strong British team pursuit squad, which includes former Olympic kilo gold medalist Jason Queally, Steven Burke, Andy Tennant and Ben Swift.

Clancy is the only remaining member of the Olympic gold medal winning team and, with Burke, is the only one to have travelled to Poland for last year’s World Championships.

The British quartet battled injury and illness in Pruskow but narrowly missed out on a place on the podium, finishing fourth.

Clancy and Co have since gone on to set the second fastest time in history at last year’s Manchester World Cup and he believes the British team couldn’t be better placed to repeat.

“I don’t think things have ever been going better,” said Clancy. “Last year I broke a foot prior to the World Championships and a couple of the other guys were ill.

“But since then Steven – who won bronze in Beijing – and Andy – a junior world champion – have stepped up and we’ve set the fastest time in history.

“And now Jason has just come in and I remember when I was 16 he won Olympic gold in Sydney and it is such a rush to have him on the team because he is a bit of hero.

“I have got a lot of time for him because in the early days guys like him and Chris Hoy winning their first medals got us the funding and there has been a snowball effect since then.

“We didn’t do badly last year and we could have had a bit better luck but I’m not trying to make excuses. This year is a lot better and everyone is fit and healthy.”

Clancy is no stranger to the World Championships, having scooped gold in 2005, 2007 and 2008 but will head into the unknown in Denmark after also being chosen to ride the omnium. The multi-discipline event will appear at an Olympic Games for the first time in London.

Clancy does not see his future in the omnium.

“To be honest I stuck my hand up for the omnium about two months ago and then got carried away with the team pursuit.”

Visa is proud to be Presenting Partner of Team 2012, a team of 1,200 athletes across the UK who are aiming to compete at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Information go to www.lifeflowsbetter.com

FORMER Batley CC rider Liam Holohan claimed his first win for Team Raleigh in the 55-mile Evesham Vale Road Race for Elite, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Category riders near Worcester.

Seventy nine riders lined up and, a third of the way into the race, Holohan got into a 12-man break which, by the last lap, was reduced to five and then three as Philip Barret (Team Tor 2000) and Ben Stockdale (Team Qorox) both punctured.

It was left to Holohan, Oli Beckinsale (Giant) and Llewellyn Kinch (GWR Team) to contest the finish, Holohan just edging out Kinch in the uphill sprint with Beckinsale in third.