My life lessons in fitness

Athree-time Olympic champion in the discipline, Ed Clancy is the greatest team pursuiter in the history of cycling. The Yorkshireman won three consecutive golds at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Games, also claiming five world and four European titles along the way before announcing his retirement, aged 36, at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

A dominant figure on the domestic criterium scene in addition to his track exploits, he took 10 Tour Series wins as well as three UCI victories. Speaking to me by video call from his home in Holmfirth, Clancy agreed to share the fitness knowledge he acquired over 15 years at the highest level of cycling.

KEEP IT SIMPLE: FUEL YOUR SESSIONS

When you’re an athlete, you identify things that will help you get where you want to be, whether it’s physiology, aerodynamics or biomechanics. As for nutrition, apart from a period early in my career, it wasn’t something