Reuters

Just a year after roaring on to the cycling scene, American teenager Taylor Phinney says he feels no extra pressure from having two Olympic medalists for parents.

The son of Olympic road race gold medalist Connie Carpenter-Phinney and Olympic bronze medalist Davis Phinney has an outside chance of winning a medal in the 4,000-meter individual pursuit.

‘Mini-Phinney’, as the 6’4″ cyclist is called, says he does not feel his Olympic genes are a burden.

“I don’t come into this race as a huge favorite, which is something I like,” the 18-year-old said.

“I’m sort of an underdog due to my age and my inexperience. I’m just here exactly for the experience and being a part of the Olympic Games.”

Phinney is extremely close to his family and cites them as his most important support structure.

His parents have stayed involved in cycling since their competitive days, but never put pressure on Phinney to take up the sport. He first became interested in racing after a family trip to the Tour de France in 2005.

Phinney won his very first track race — the individual pursuit in 2007 at the U.S. National Championships. This year he won the junior World Championships and placed eighth in the world championships.

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