Hoy Still Going for Gold

He has a staggering ten world gold medals to his name already, as well as five silvers and five bronzes, and Sir Chris Hoy has every intention of adding to that impressive list this week when the 2011 world cycling championships take place in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands.

The four time Olympic champion has had his ups and mainly downs since those glorious five days in Beijing in 2008 when the Scot became one of the big stars of the Games with a golden treble of Olympic titles.

He missed the 2009 world championships after a heavy fall at a world cup meet in Copenhagen, and then took a “mere” single world title in the keirin at last year’s worlds in Denmark, after his team sprint took bronze and his individual sprint ended abruptly after he was caught napping at the start line by a young German who surprised him by sprinting from the gun.

But now he is back and raring to go, aiming for three titles in five days of solid racing which begin on Wednesday, his 35th birthday, and end on Sunday, but still with half an eye on the London Olympics next year.

“I’m a competitor and that means I’ll want to win everything I enter in Apeldoorn at the world championships,” Hoy insisted last night. “I’m feeling in great shape and exactly where I want to be right now with the Olympics 16 months away. �

“The truth is that I’ve just held back a little in my training. That’s because I have to be aware of my age and avoid any injuries at this stage of such an important four-year cycle in between the Games.

“I expect to go well next week, for sure, but I expect to go better at next year’s world championships in Melbourne, which is the most important meeting in terms of Olympic selection, and better still in London. In two years’ time people won’t remember how I fared in Apeldoorn. But they’ll know all about London.”

Hoy will have his work cut out to win three world titles in any case. While he won the keirin world cup race in Manchester last month, and arrives in Holland as defending world keirin champion, this chase behind a motor bike can be a lottery.

He lost out to British teammate and Olympic silver medallist Jason Kenny in the individual sprint in Manchester in February, despite beating him in the Olympic final in 2008, and the team sprint trio of Hoy, Kenny and Matt Crampton are capable of any colour of medal.

“It’s going to a long and tough five days of solid racing but I’m used to it by now,” Hoy said. “It’s a bigger mental than physical challenge.”

If he were to win a single gold medal next year in London he would surpass Sir Steve Redgrave’s record as the most successful British Olympian of all time of five golds and a bronze. Hoy currently stands on four golds and a silver but he is reluctant to take the bragging rights.

“Statistically I may be the greatest British Olympian but it’s difficult to say I’m greater than Steve because he did it in a different sport over five Olympics whereas, if I were to win a gold, it would be over three Games. Besides, when I was growing up and tried my hand at rowing Steve was a hero of mine.

“Anything can happen but as long as I start in London in top shape I’ll be confident. Next week in Holland is not the be-all and end-all, but I’m there and if I’m there it means I’ll be wanting to win.”

Victoria Pendleton is also gunning for three world golds in the same events as Hoy, and also faces a stiff challenge, not only from Australia’s Anna Meares in the individual sprint, her flagship event as Olympic champion, but also from fellow British girls Jessica Varnish and Beccy James.��