Sir Chris Hoy has outlined his ambitions to compete at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at the velodrome which bears his name – but is aware that making selection for the event will not be easy.
The 36-year-old Scotsman became Great Britain’s most successful ever Olympian in London, taking his tally of gold medals to six after victories on the track in the keirin and team sprint.
The British Cycling Olympic Podium Programme rider – who won his first gold in Athens in 2004 – has said that he will not compete at the Rio 2016 Olympics but harbours hopes of adding to his two Commonwealth Games gold medals in Glasgow at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome.
“To have been named as the first Games ambassador for Glasgow 2014 was very exciting and to see the mascot and to have the other ambassadors on board really drives home that it won’t be long until the Games are here in two years’ time,” he said speaking at the conclusion of the Gillette ‘Great Starts’ campaign where he joined fellow Olympian Liam Tancock to celebrate with the successful recipients of this year’s grants.
"It is just exciting to have this massive event to follow on from London to keep that momentum going and to keep that success going and it is going to be huge."
Hoy on 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games
“It is just exciting to have this massive event to follow on from London to keep that momentum going and to keep that success going and it is going to be huge.
“If I can keep going and be able to compete there it would be the perfect end to my career. But even if I don’t make the team, just to be part of it and the overall experience as an ambassador and experience it all would be great.”
Hoy will not compete in any international events this year, missing the Cali and Glasgow UCI Track World Cup rounds as well as the European Track Championships, but has been confirmed for January’s Rotterdam Six-Day meeting. Whilst not yet returning to full training after his Olympic exploits, he has still found time to enjoy his bike.
“I have just been so busy so I have been back on the bike but not in a formal training capacity with the sets and reps in the gym. I have been out on the track twice and I have been back on the road a fair bit but it is more for the fun and just enjoyment of it.
“I am not competing in any major internationals this year so I am just enjoying riding my bike and keeping fit and when the time comes I will be back up to 100 per cent.
“It is great to just be doing it for the sake of doing it again. You aren’t doing it because you have to do it, you are doing it because you want to do it and it reminds you of why you took up the sport in the first place.”
Many of Great Britain’s future stars were in action at the weekend’s British Track Championships, on a journey which they hope will emulate the success of Hoy’s. The sprinter admitted helping such talent develop through coaching is something that interests him once his competitive days are over, though he has first hand testimony of the commitment required having been part of the Great Britain Cycling Team setup for over 15 years.
“I think it would be an incredibly rewarding thing to get into coaching once my competing career is over,” he added.
“But I think if I was to do it I would step back from the elite level in the first instance because first of all it is going to be strange coaching guys who you were team-mates with, that could be quite tricky.
“And also, the commitment the coaches have to put in, particularly at the highest level, in terms of hours it is actually more than the athletes.
“You have to be there for every session, you have to go to every race where the athletes will pick and choose their events, you are pretty much on the road all year round and it is a massive commitment.”
