Earlier, performance director Dave Brailsford said it was time to concentrate less on Britain's exploits in China, where they won seven of 10 events in the velodrome, and to look towards the London Olympics in 2012.

 

His team were in confident mood as a mixture of familiar faces and new names took top step on the podium as the first day of the British leg of the World Cup series kicked off.

 

Victoria Pendleton, Clancy and Wendy Houvenaghel - all medallists in Beijing - won their events.

 

Pendleton, the Olympic and world champion, took the women's sprint, beating Zheng Lulu of China.

 

Houvenaghel, the Beijing silver medallist, took advantage of the absence of compatriot Rebecca Romero to take the women's individual pursuit, finishing nine seconds ahead of Tara Whitten of Canada in the final.

 

Britain's Joanna Rowsell came third.

 

With all the big names missing from the women's points race, a trio of British juniors swept the podium, led by 19-year-old Lizzie Armitstead, ahead of Lucy Martin and Katie Colclough.

 

The absence of Beijing triple gold medalist Chris Hoy gave a rare opportunity for non-British success in the men's sprints.

 

Francois Pervis of France took that chance in the keirin, winning from Britain's Jason Kenny and the Netherlands' Teun Mulder.

 

The kilometer time trial had a British winner, however, in 18-year-old David Daniell, who beat Yevhen Bolibrukh of Ukraine and Kamil Kuczynski of Poland.

 

Bradley Wiggins was in Manchester but chose not to race in the men's individual pursuit in which he is double Olympic champion and three-times world champion.

 

Taking part in the scratch race, he could not catch Wim Stroetinga of the Netherlands, who finished a lap ahead of the rest of the field.

 

Tim Mertens of Belgium was second and Czech rider Martin Blaha third.

 

Wiggins was seventh.

 

Clancy, the 23-year-old from Barnsley who was part of the squad that won the team pursuit in Beijing, took advantage of Wiggins in the by winning the gold medal, beating Vitaliy Shchedov of Ukraine in the final.