Australian Leigh Howard, the defending champion, finished second to take the silver while American Taylor Phinney won the bronze to claim his second medal after his triumph in the pursuit.

Clancy's gold was Britain's third of the Championships in the Ballerup Suer Arena after Sir Chris Hoy's keirin victory and Victoria Pendleton's sprint gold and meant they finished second in the table behind a rampant Australia.

The omnium will make its Olympic debut at the London Games in 2012 where both sexes will race the same five events: sprint, team sprint, keirin, team pursuit and omnium.

It was the inclusion of the event that had persuaded British team bosses to nominate Clancy, known for his strengths as an endurance and pursuit rider, into this year's race.

The red-haired Englishman, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen's 2009 New Year's honours list is currently uncertain to compete in the event in London, where Britain could hope to bring in either Mark Cavendish or Bradley Wiggins.

However he admitted he would consider giving up that coveted spot if it means he can pursue personal glory in the omnium.

"After today you've got to think about it," he said.

"It's probably going to clash with the team pursuit, so I'm going to have to weigh it up.

"I would've thought I'd stick to team pursuiting.

"Having said that, it's my first individual medal of any colour and one I didn't think I'd get."

After Britain were stunned by Australia's superb gold-medal ride in the team pursuit, which they won by just 0.152sec, Clancy said he simply had no energy left.

"It felt like I had a hangover the day after the team pursuit and that wasn't just because I raided the bar," he said.

"You just feel down when you lose by such a small margin."

At the London Games a sixth, as yet undecided event will be raced in the omnium.

Clancy finished first in the 200 metres flying start, 13th in the scratch, fourth in the pursuit and moved top of the provisional standings with his fifth place finish in the points race.

His victory in the finale, the kilometre time trial, reinforced his lead and handed him the gold ahead of defending champion Howard, who finished with eight points more than the Briton.

Victoria Pendleton (pictured) missed out on her second gold medal by a matter of inches in the women's keirin.

The five-time women's sprint champion led from the start but found herself boxed in with two laps remaining.

She managed to pull free to put on a late charge, but the finish line came too soon as Lithuania's Simona Krupeckaite claimed gold.

Lizzie Armitstead missed out on medal in points race after her silver medal in the women's omnium yesterday.

Like the omnium, Canada's Tara Whitten won her the points race.

"I like winning so I am disappointed, but to get two silvers and a silver in an event I have only just started doing is pretty good so I can't complain," Armitstead said.

In the blue riband event, the men's sprint, Gregory Bauge defeated Australia's Shane Perkins to hold onto his world sprint title, while world record holder Kevin Sireau was forced to settle for bronze.

The Australians topped the medal table for the second year in a row, having won six world titles to Britain's three.


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