Since Glasgow 2014, Callum Skinner has been on a fine streak of form.
Since Glasgow 2014, Callum Skinner has been on a fine streak of form. The Scot may not have been able to find his best on the boards at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome back in July, but he got straight back on the bike and proved his worth on an international stage.
He ??cleaned up?? at the National Championships, winning all four sprint titles, won his first European title in the 1km time trail and secured a World Cup team sprint victory in Mexico alongside Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes.
??I have a few regrets about Glasgow 2014 but you really just have to get back on the bike and thankfully I found my form again," he said. "I??m glad that I??ve been able to show what I can do since the Games.??
The sprinter is currently filling the man 3 position in the Great Britain sprint team as part of one of the most prestigious teams in the sport.
The position is hotly contested, with Skinner facing competition from fellow GB riders Kian Emadi, Matt Crampton and Lewis Oliva for the man 3 slot in the lead up to the World Championships in Paris next year and, ultimately, the Rio 2016 Olympics.
??I definitely feel like there??s still a lot for me to prove in the team sprint,?? he said. ??There??s that pressure for me to keep that team together because it??s up for me to take it home basically, my lap is out there in the open and there??s no-one else to blame if it goes badly.??
With Rio 2016 in mind, Skinner must concentrate on his position in the team sprint set up before contemplating his aims in the individual disciplines. ??They??ve told us that they??ll select the other events off the team sprint [for Rio],?? he says. ??If you??re not in that team sprint but you??re amazing in the Keirin, you??re not going to be going.??
The unassuming rider has experienced the pressure of slotting into the team and performing on the global stage, but he??s dealt with it with the support of a hometown hero, one of the sport??s icons.
??After the success in Mexico, Chris Hoy sent me a message on Twitter and we had some back and forward about my concerns about fitting in to such a prestigious team and he was quite open about offering me some tips about being man 3.??
After this weekend, in which Skinner is competing in both the team and individual sprint competitions, he hopes to complete a solid training block alongside Kenny and Hindes, cementing his place in the team for the World Championships in April.
??It??s just about accepting the position you??re in and doing the best you can with the form you have,?? he says. That may well be just enough.
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