Hoy not fazed by home crowd

Sir Chris Hoy says he will not be under any extra pressure when he goes for gold in front of an expectant home crowd at London 2012.

The 36-year-old was the star performer in Britain’s all-conquering track cycling team at the last Olympics in Beijing, taking victory in the sprint, team sprint and keirin.

He is aiming to repeat that feat in London, although he faces a battle to be selected ahead of Jason Kenny in the sprint, and goes into the Games shouldering more expectation than almost any other member of Team GB.

But Hoy is unfazed by the pressure and is confident he and the rest of the British team will step up in the same way they did at the track World Cup in London in February, where they won a total of five events.

“I think it’s quite a nice position to be in, it’s nice that people expect success from you because it shows that you’ve had success in the past,” said Hoy.

“I don’t perceive there to be any extra pressure in London, I see it as an opportunity to step up there in the most amazing surroundings with the best support and try and produce the goods on home soil.

“I’m sure everybody will respond the same way they did at the World Cup in London recently, where the team did even better than they did at the World Championships (in April).

“That home support and the feeling of familiarity and being at home really helps.”

Hoy won keirin gold and sprint bronze at the recent World Championships in Melbourne but was left empty-handed in the team sprint.

He added: “It was actually a bit of a mixed World Championships because we had the disappointment of being disqualified in the team sprint.

“It was a new combination with a new, young rider called Philip Hindes and he did a really good lap but he was slightly outside the changeover zone.

“There were a few highs and lows. The keirin victory at the end of the week – to become world champion again was an amazing experience and I was just delighted to get the rainbow jersey back on and get the gold medal.”

The Scot has yet to decide whether or not he will retire at the end of the Olympics, saying he would like to keep going until the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow if possible.

Hoy said: “In terms of my career and what I want to do, it’s very difficult to plan too far ahead.

“The Glasgow Commonwealth Games would be the perfect swansong if I can keep going for two more years, but I just don’t know how I’m going to feel after London.

“Injury, form, condition, motivation – all these things are factors. You don’t know until you get there so I’m just going to focus 100 per cent on London just and then after the Games have a little break and see how I feel.”