Jonny Brownlee is relieved to be focused purely on winning heading into the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after seeing his podium streak ended this year.
The Team England triathlete went four years between 2010 and 2014 without missing out on the top three before consecutive fifth-place finishes in World Triathlon Series races in Yokohama and London.
Brownlee has admitted that this has freed him of some unnecessary pressure and will encourage him to take more risks in Scotland, but has conceded that brother and Olympic champion Alistair is the favourite on a course that suits his "aggressive racing".
"Alistair is very fit," Jonny told PA. "This course definitely suits him. It's a very hard bike and it suits his aggressive racing, but I'll try my best. In training we've been very similar so all I can do is try - again.
He added: "In a way, I quite like not having a podium streak, because it was playing on my mind. It was a lot of pressure. I stood on the start line and there were lots of other people who didn't have anything to lose, whereas I had a podium streak to lose.
"That definitely affected me in races. I wouldn't chase a break, because I was thinking, 'If I sit here, I'll still come third'. Hopefully now I can race more aggressively and enjoy racing again. It's back to the pure side of racing and just racing to win."
Jonny Brownlee, who finished third behind his elder sibling at London 2012 and was crowned world champion later the same year, will be in action on the opening day of the Glasgow Games on Thursday.
Joe Fish
