´óÏó´«Ã½

There is still a lot to be gained, though, as Sutton explained to me: "Copenhagen is about assessing where we are at ahead of the Olympics.

"Through all our resources, we sort of understand what it is going to take to win in London so it will be nice to see exactly where we stand under race conditions. Then we will know how far we have to go and we can start working out how we are going to improve over the next couple of years and making the marginal gains we might need."

Sir Chris Hoy tries out the track at the Ballerup Super Arena - photo: Press Association

If that sounds too simple, it's probably because Sutton and British Cycling's performance director Dave Brailsford have made winning look easy over the course of the last decade, culminating in the .

That record of producing results is why we should keep faith in their methods, whether the medal haul matches the , or is more like the two wins they managed at the same event last year in Poland.

In fact, seeing as Brailsford and Sutton talk about "four-year Olympic cycles", it is perhaps more realistic to compare Britain's progress towards 2012 with their performance at Bordeaux in 2006, two years before the last Olympics, when they won only one gold medal - albeit just after the same team put on a strong showing in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games - then upped that tally to seven golds at the 2007 World Championships in Mallorca.

A repeat of that pattern, which saw results improve the closer the Olympics got, would not go amiss this time around - not that Sutton is anticipating a disappointing time in Denmark.

"Looking at what I have seen over the last few weeks, we are on the money," he added. "We are looking at London and the bigger picture but you also have to see it through the athletes' eyes; they are not out here to lose, they want that rainbow jersey and to be world champions.

"They will put their own pressure on themselves to succeed, even if we don't. Given one or two things that affected the team last year, I thought we performed quite well in Poland, but a lot of people didn't see that because we have been so dominant in the past. But now we are moving back in the direction where we are going to be a dominant force again in the next few years.

"It could be this week but I can't say until I see exactly how we are moving in the races."

One of the reasons for Sutton's optimism is the return to fitness and form of Hoy, who he describes as an "iconic figure" for his team-mates to follow. The Scot, who turned 34 on Tuesday, and is chasing a 10th world title and will ride in three events - the men's sprint, team sprint and keirin.

Victoria Pendleton has dominated the women's sprint event in recent years - photo: Getty

Combined with the presence of the seemingly invincible Pendleton, 29, who is going for her fourth successive women's sprint title and her fifth in the past six years, Britain's younger riders will not have to look far for inspiration.

"It is great to have both of those big figures at the track going into a battle like this," stated Sutton. "It will make a heck of a difference to us that when our younger lads and girls are sitting in the pen that they can look across and see a multiple Olympic champion sitting next to them. It gives them a buzz, and a huge boost."

Another rider who might have provided a similar lift, Bradley Wiggins, is one of the notable absentees from the squad. in 2010.

Another potential individual pursuit winner, , is also involved in the Team Sky set-up but Sutton insists the fact that Britain does not have a male entry in that discipline in Denmark is again because of the London Games - where the IP will not be held after a recent restructuring of the Olympic cycling events - rather than any shift in priority for our endurance riders towards the road.

Sutton told me: "What you've got to remember is that we are not targeting the events outside the Olympic disciplines here. There are 10 chances in Olympic events and because we are really concentrating on them and narrowing our focus down to them, we are giving up our chances of picking up bonus medals at the World Championships.

"I definitely feel we could medal in the men's individual pursuit. We could just about medal in most events this week. But we have to give them up and forego individual opportunities because it might affect us in the men's team pursuit which runs the following day.

"The exception to that is . Because of the work she has done, we feel she is capable of doing the women's IP as well this year. We might have to re-think that in 2011 because it is just an experiment and it something she wanted to do, to try to be world champion at that as well.

"We endorsed it but we wouldn't have done it with the men this time even if Geraint or Bradley were around because we are all about Olympic medals, and we want to try to bring home the wins from Copenhagen in the Olympic disciplines."

It's clear that London is already calling, so it would be wrong to say the journey to 2012 starts here for our track cyclists - they have been on that path for some time now. But, whatever happens in the next few days, you can be sure it will help Britain's cause in two year's time.

As Sutton says: "We will learn from this one and go away. As everybody knows, we are very good at doing our homework and implementing what is needed."

You can follow me on Twitter at