Hoy to Ride Kilometre at Manchester World Cup

 

Story posted January 24, 2007
Event: Manchester Velodrome, Feb 23-25

Current World and Olympic men's Kilometre time trial champion from Scotland, Chris Hoy, will throw out the challenge to rest of the world's best Sprinters in the Kilometre time trial on Day 1 (Friday) of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup at Manchester 23-25th February 2007.

The 30-year-old Scot will ride the Manchester Velodrome boards buoyed by success at this weekend's UCI World Track Cup round in Los Angeles where he won two gold medals in the men's Team Sprint and men's Keirin races. This on top of his Gold medals in Sydney (round 1) where he won the Kilometre and Team Sprint.

The Manchester meeting will be key to the British sprinter's preparation for the World Championships in Palma, Mallorca in March and his subsequent tilt at the Kilometre altitude world record in Bolivia in May.

"I will be riding in the Kilometre and the Sprint," said the Edinburgh born sprinter: "It's not often that I get the chance to ride the Kilo in front of a home crowd, especially with the rainbow jersey on and that's always a special occasion for me. It will be my second from last competition Kilo before I go for the World Record in May. I have not done much preparation for the kilo yet so it is important I keep the feel for it. After the world championships I will be focusing on the world record attempt."

Hoy's challenge in the Kilo at Manchester could come from a number of international riders including improving Dutchman Tim Veldt who was fourth in the event in the World Championships last year. But Hoy's most serious challenger could be closer to home in the shape of fellow Brit and former Olympic champion Jason Queally.

Hoy may also make it a hat trick of World Track Cup Team Sprint wins should he be victorious in that event on home turf. The Team Sprint is one of the country's biggest targets at the Worlds and Olympics and also one of the most exciting Sprint events to watch as the fastest men in the world give it their all over three laps of the track.

Hoy has been part of the Gold medal winning team in Sydney and Los Angeles and a win in Manchester where the selectors will have a close eye on the riders they want for the World Championships, would give him three wins in the UCI World Track Cup Series for 2006/07.

 

Event Programme Information and ticket information
Full details of the UCI Track Cycling Manchester World Cup event programme can be found on www.worldtrackcycling.com  which includes a link directly to the Ticketmaster page for the event. Day ticket prices start at £12 for adults and £6 for children.

 

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