ED CLANCY is aiming to finish a golden mission tonight after being among a quartet of track cyclists which smashed the team pursuit world record in qualifying last night.

Clancy, who lives in Newton-le-Willows, and his Great Britain team-mates smashed their own world record at the London 2012 Olympic Velodrome.

Ed Clancy, Steven Burke, Geraint Thomas (who also lived in Newton before moving to Manchester) and Peter Kennaugh clocked 3 mins 52.499 secs over 4,000 metres.

Afterwards Clancy tweeted: “great to qually fastest in the TP.....we’ll try and finish the job tomorrow! Thanks for every message of support and every shout from the crowd!”

The British quartet previously set the world record in winning April's Track Cycling World Championships in Melbourne.

"But last night they went 0.796 seconds faster on the opening day of action on the track, which has produced high drama, to lay down the gauntlet to their rivals."

Clancy, a Yorkshireman who has lived in Newton for six years, was part of the team pursuit squad that earned gold at Beijing in 2008.

The final will take place tonight (Friday).