With four Olympic gold medals to her name Laura Kenny knows a thing or two about cycling and she claims there is no-one she would rather watch compete in the sport than Ed Clancy.
Kenny’s haul, accrued at London 2012 and Rio 2016, makes her the most successful British female Olympian of all-time, although former Holme Valley Wheelers rider Clancy isn’t far behind in the medal stakes with three golds and a bronze to his name.
The Huddersfield cyclist claimed team pursuit gold in Rio and is set to compete at the high-octane Revolution Cycling Champions League at Lee Valley VeloPark tomorrow and Saturday – the London event is the conclusion of the 14th season of the Revolution Series.
And his enthusiasm for cycling is infectious, insists Kenny, which is what makes him so fun to watch.
“Ed loves the Revolution Series,” she explained.
“I was speaking to him at the first Manchester event when Jason (Kenny, her husband) and I came to do a signing rather than riding.
“He was loving riding his bike, although badly, so he tells me!
“I didn’t actually see him race, but he didn’t feel that great, but he loves them and it’s great seeing him on the track.
“If there’s any rider that I enjoy watching, it’s him, because he gets stuck in, and while one minute you think he’s about to get dropped from a race, the next minute he’s winning the next sprint, so you never know how he is going to do.”
Like Clancy, Kenny is also set to take part in the Revolution Cycling Champions League event at Lee Valley VeloPark this weekend – her first return to the track since Rio.
Similarly to most British cyclists, Lee Valley VeloPark holds fond memories for Kenny after she clinched double gold there at the London 2012 Olympic Games – among other successes.
And the 24-year-old is excited to go back to one of her favourite venues as the post-Rio competition continues.
“London 2012 seems such a long time ago now, but it’s a nice track and it brings back so many good memories,” added Kenny.
“Not just individually, but as a team, because we all came together as one and it was the last time Sir Chris raced as well, so it was special.
“Competing at the Lee Valley VeloPark is always special. Every time you step on that London velodrome, all the memories come flooding back.
“It’s weird, but all tracks have different smells, for example whenever we go to Newport Velodrome, it reminds me of being a kid going to Nationals, and when we go to Manchester, it feels like a second home because that it where we do everything.
“But then stepping into London, it’s so close to my family home. It’s really nice to go back there where it all began for me.”
Tickets for Revolution Cycling Champions League are available to purchase from Sky Tickets with full ticket information on www.cyclingrevolution.com
