Cycling: Mixed night for Hoy in Rotterdam

Sir Chris Hoy had mixed fortunes in the opening session of the Giant Sprint Masters competition at the Rotterdam Six Day Meeting in Holland last night.

The 36-year-old Capital 
cyclist made a winning start to 2013 when he combined with his Great Britain colleague Jason Kenny to take the team sprint honours, beating Dutchman Teun Mulder and Gregory Bauge of France in the first event of the competition which features a series of races each night until Tuesday.

However, Kenny then got the better of Hoy in the sprint time trial, clocking 10.609 seconds to the Scot’s 10.719 and saw off Bauge to secure a place in the final. Hoy’s chances of an opening night individual sprint victory were ended when he lost to Mulder. Hoy then eclipsed Bauge to take third place, with Kenny beating Mulder to lead overall although Hoy ended the first night on a high when he powered his way to success in the Keirin

Meanwhile, Scottish rider Charline Joiner rallied from a difficult start in the women’s competition to finish sixth in the points race and 11th overall.

Elsewhere, City of Edinburgh sprinters Callum Skinner and John Paul are racing at tomorrow night’s Revolution Meeting in Manchester. The Scottish duo will combine with Englishman Matt Rotherham to contest the team sprint and will also be in individual action.

Among their opponents will be Philip Hindes, the Olympic Team Sprint Gold medallist, former World sprint champion Robert Foerstemann of Germany, a strong French trio, and several Britons.

The meeting is preceded by the British Madison Championships in which James McCallum and Michael Nicolson head the Scottish challenge while Evan Oliphant will be joined by Englishman Russell Hampton.