The star talks to James Shrubsall about Olympic success and his whirlwind year.
A nation expects… not in the way that the nation expects as the England football team approach a crunch match in the World Cup. In that scenario we all know the nation doesn’t really expect anything — except maybe tears at bedtime.
But this is cycling. We’re in Rio, it’s Tuesday, August 16, 2016, and Jason Kenny is just about to start the keirin final. Again. A nation, watching back home, is riveted. A nation definitely expects. But Kenny himself? He’s just chilled. “It wouldn’t have been the end of the world if it hadn’t gone my way — it’s just racing isn’t it,” he grins, reflecting on a moment that for almost anyone else, fans included, could never in that moment have been described as ‘just racing’.
“It’s very school-sports-day-ish isn’t it, but you can only try the best you can,” Kenny reasons. “If you come off the track and you’ve emptied the tanks, that’s all you can hope for.”
Cool operator
Perhaps it’s easy to be so pragmatic when you’re a rider for whom ‘emptying the tanks’ in an Olympic final seems to invariably yield gold. But Kenny insists it’s just how he is.
“For me historically the keirin hasn’t been my best event, I’ve been very hot and cold in it. It’s really easy to get really stressed out… it’s really easy to just mess it up because it’s quite frantic, you’ve got six people on the track, going really fast. It’s really easy to get boxed in or get hung out to dry — I’ve learned just to relax.”
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 8,2016 من CYCLING WEEKLY.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 8,2016 من CYCLING WEEKLY.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
CLASSIC BIKE COLNAGO SUPER
A trailblazing bike immortalised by Merckx and Saronni
"Strava activities are the only way I know some of my friends are still alive"
...or that Bernard is doing his weekly shop
AN EXPERT'S TAKE ON... SADDLE SELECTION
Crucial advice to guide your next purchase
JUST A NUMB#R?
Approaching a landmark birthday, Charlie Graham-Dixon explores how ageing affects cycling performance and what can be done to stay ahead of the curve
RURAL PERIL
More UK cyclists are killed on rural lanes than on busy city streets. Rob Kemp investigates why and what can be done to keep us safe while riding in the countryside
A BLESSED RIDE THROUGH THE FOREST OF BOWLAND
Forgoing cloak, cassock and cross, Trevor Ward goes in search of the holy roads that helped make a Tour winner
Dame Sarah Storey claims road and 19th gold double
More success for Team GB's Paralympians in Paris, but Storey slams women's time trial course
Roglič matches Vuelta win record
Slovenian takes fourth Tour of Spain title after hunting down O'Connor's lead, writes Adam Becket
Williams crowned Tour of Britain champion
Welshman leads home resurgence at the stage race to crown an Israel-Premier Tech clean sweep, reports Tom Davidson in Felixstowe
CLASSIC BIKE CLAUD BUTLER OLYMPIC ROAD
Iconic British brand's Holdsworth-era road bike