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Twelve weeks ago 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Ed Clancy's entire cycling career lay in the balance. The three-time Olympic medallist was lying in a hospital bed after 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:undergoing back surgery, and the World Championships, the Rio 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Olympic Games,🧸 even returning to the boards at all seemed a long wa꧃y off.

Since then, however, Clancy, with the full support of some of the best surgeons in the land, British Cycling and his fellow team pursuiters, has relearned how to walk, returned to the Manchester velodrome – albeit with a different position on the bike – and gained selection for the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:UCI Track World Championships.

This week the 30-year-old will race as part of the five-m🌞an Great Britain team in the team pursuit - an event in which he has taken a gold medal during the past two Olympics. Although the team's place in the men's Omnium ✱has gone to Mark Cavendish, Clancy's mere selection for the Championships marks a significant victory in itself.

"My whole career was in doubt. I genuinely couldn't walk. I had foot drop because the nerve was compromised. When I came out of the operation and could walk again I thought that anything after was a bonus. If I could ride a bike great, if I can make a career out of it, even better. I've been lucky to have been surrounded by the best surgeons and doctors. Without those guys I wouldn't be here," Clancy told Cyclingnews and a select group of journalists at a 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:pre-Worlds event in Manchester.

The rider's back problems stemmed from a 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:freak accident that took place last season. Just after the Tour of Britain in September the Barnsley born rider went to pick up his suitcase. It was almost empty at the time but the movement triggered a re꧙action that would land him with a slipped disc and on an operating table months later.

"From the back surgery the surgeons were saying that I needed two weeks of solid bed rest and just learning how to walk again. It's twelve wee👍ks and a day since the surgery and two of those weeks we tried to walk, and then for two of those weeks we spent riding a mountain bik𝔍e and trying to get back into a road position. We spent about five of those weeks training on a turbo trainer properly and then the last ten days on the track."

With less than a fortnight of real training under his belt, Clancy essentially had to audition for his place last weekend in a closed door event in Manchester. The times and performances were good enough for selection and Clancy will play a part – although it's not clea🐬r how significant – in Great Britain's team pursuit team.

"Before every championships we have a dress rehearsal and you basicaꩲlly turn up and show what you've got. Tཧhat was last weekend and doesn't mean that with the efforts we make now the selectors aren't looking and suss out the team but that was a big day for all of us."

"🌸I'm feeling surprisingly good. I think that it's fair to say that this isn't the best that I've ever gone but twelve weeks after serious back surgery I'm over the moon."

Come Wednesday, when the team compete for the first time, Clancy will undoubteꦓdly feel the pressure of returning to competition. However, there's no doubt that given his rapid progression since surgery, Clancy will grasp the opportunity with both hands and a sense of freedom.

"It's a different feel for me, these World Champions✃hips, because in past events you spend a year before dreaming about what results you're going♛ to get and for me anything is a massive bonus. I'm just happy to be riding my bike again."