Cycling: Chris Hoy sprints out of blocks in new season

By COLIN RENTON
Published on 06/01/2013 00:00

Sir Chris Hoy has confirmed that he is in good shape for 2013, the year in which he will decide whether competing at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is a realistic target.

The 36-year-old returned to action on Thursday at the Rotterdam Six Day Meeting, where he is taking part in the Giant Sprint Masters competition. The riders contest the same events on each of the six nights, and the sprinters share the stage with endurance riders, women and juniors.

Hoy went into last night’s third session in second place overall behind his fellow Briton Jason Kenny.

However, the Scot trimmed the gap in the opening event when he paired up with Dutchman Teun Mulder to win the two-man team sprint ahead of Kenny and Gregory Bauge of France.

Kenny had shown his pace when he recorded wins in the 200 metres time trial on Thursday and Friday. But Edinburgh cyclist Hoy reversed that trend last night when he clocked 10.633 seconds to edge out the Englishman who recorded 10.688 seconds.

Referring to the gruelling nature of the racing programme in Rotterdam, Hoy wrote on his Twitter account: “Getting into routine of breakfast at noon, lunch at 4pm, race 8pm-midnight, dinner at 1am, bed 2am.”