OLYMPICS LONDON 2012: Clancy claims omnium bronze as cycling medal flurry goes on

By Ben Burrows, Sportsbeat, London 2012

CYCLIST Ed Clancy claimed an excellent bronze medal in the London 2012 men’s omnium after a below-par scratch race cost him a shot at gold.

TRIPLE OLYMPIC MEDALLIST: Ed Clancy claimed bronze medal in the cycling to add to his two gold medals

The 27-year-old won both the flying lap and the one kilometre time trial on Saturday but a tenth place in Sunday’s scratch race meant the top of the podium was just out of reach.

And the Olympic champion in the team pursuit was happy to be on the podium in an event he considers to be second to the team pursuit.

“I’ve always said I came here for the team pursuit as I always do,” he said. “I always stick all my eggs in that basket perhaps mentally as well – it was so hard getting up the very next day to go into a full-blown omnium.

“I had the form of my life the kilometre, the pursuit and the flying lap and personal bests by a mile in all of them. It’s just a shame that in the points races I got torn apart by the specialists.

“I always knew it would be touch and go to get a medal it’s an emotional rollercoaster out there –one minute you’re winning, the next you’re completely out of the race and that was basically the story of the last two days.

“At one point I was looking to get that gold medal in the scratch. We’ve had so much support here – we even had the great Mark Cavendish on the phone this afternoon to help me out.

“The support has just been unbelievable. I’d just like to say thanks to all the staff, the management and the physios – they all work so hard and they’re the real heroes behind all this.”

An 11th place in the points race and a superb fifth place in the elimination race had the 2010 world champion in fourth position overnight and a fast individual pursuit gave him hopes of gold but it wasn’t to be as Lasse Norman Hansen of Denmark took the title.

© Sportsbeat 2012