Jess Varnish now back in action with a vengeance

The Halesowen Cycling Club star has finally recovered from a back injury ahead of the start of the European Track Championships tomorrow, writes Nick Mashiter.

She was sidelined for nearly five months – forcing her to miss February's World Championships in Minsk – but returned over the summer.

And Varnish was afraid of another write-off after struggling to overcome the problem.

"I thought I was going to miss the whole season at one point, that's how bad the injury was," said the London 2012 Olympian.

"It was one step forward and 10 steps back. In the end it was almost five months and it was hideous, really horrible. I couldn't do anything apart from rehab on the gym bike as I wasn't able to lean forward – it wasn't very nice.

"It means I don't want to miss anything. I understand how hard it is because I've been so used to feeling strong and able to do things.

"I couldn't do anything in the gym or much else. Your whole life goes completely to pot."

Varnish marked her return to fitness with wins in the keirin, the 500m time trial, individual sprint and team sprint at the National Track Cycling Championships last month.

And, after selection for the Euros alongside Wolverhampton's Andy Tennant, she insisted she has forgotten her injury woes after winning the mental battle.

"You go through phases where you think you can't give 100 per cent because you don't want that pain again," said the 22-year-old. "But that's been really positive because we've had the GPs throughout the summer and every completion you think about it less and less."

Varnish, who won the team sprint in Apeldoorn with Victoria Pendleton in 2011, is expected to race in that event with Becky James and also the individual sprint. But Varnish insisted the pair are still a work in progress.

She said: "It would be great to do it (2011 win) again, but we're starting at the bottom again and it's hard. It's not about what happened a couple of years ago, we're a new partnership."