The 63-year-old from Taree has been appointed the road race and time trial manager for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. He leaves for Japan next month. The Olympics will run from July 24 to August 9, with the men's road race on July 25 and the women's road race on July 26. Time trials will be held on July 29.

Clinch has held similar positions for Commonwealth Games held in Delhi, Glasgow and the Gold Coast while he also worked at the Sydney Olympic Games. But this is his biggest gig.

"My job will be similar to the Commonwealth Games, but on a much larger scale,'' he explained.

"Yeah, I am pretty nervous. It's exciting, but also a little daunting.''

He was approached by the Tokyo Olympic Games organisers to take on the role.

"It all started about six months ago when they first asked me,'' he said.

"I guess being asked is a bit of a feather in my cap.''

His role was confirmed about a month ago after negotiations between the various layers of the Olympic movement were finalised, along with a work visa.

Clinch will have responsibility for co-ordinating the road races and time trials - ensuring the logistics are in place and working with local government bodies and police to ensure roads are closed; volunteers and marshals are in place; organising all teams to have support vehicles for managers and mechanics among a myriad of other details. He will be supported by an assistant manager, a technical operations manager and an athletes' services manager.

Both road races will start in West Tokyo and finish at the Mt Fuji International Speedway, the men will cover 234km and will have Mt Fuji as a backdrop for the majority of the event while the women will cover 137km. Time trials will be at the speedway, with the men completing two laps (44km) and the women one lap (22km).

Clinch expects each race day to be busy.

"I know there'll be some box that we didn't tick for whatever reason, but we'll deal with it,'' he said.

There'll be a test event next July.

"That's going to be a learning experience for us,'' Clinch said.

Clinch had a difficult introduction to the role when he took on the position for the Delhi Commonwealth Games in 2010. He described this as an organisational nightmare dealing with fractious local officials and government bodies. This involved, among other things, changing the course.

Clinch expects Japan to be much more accommodating.

"But I know when the final medal ceremony is held it'll be a like a great load is lifted off my shoulders,'' he smiled.

His first major assignment was in 2006 for the Asian Games in Qatar.

"That's when I threw the paint brushes away,'' he said. (Clinch is a former house painter).

However, he thinks Toyko will be his last hurrah.

"I'll be nearly 65 when it's over,'' he said.

"I had been looking at a technical director's role at the next Commonwealth Games in Birmingham before this position came up. I think working at the Olympics will be hard to beat, so I'm not so interested in Birmingham now.''