Sir Chris Hoy and wife Sarra expecting first child

Sir Chris Hoy with wife Sarra. The pair have announced they're expecting their first child. Picture: Neil Hanna

The six-time Olympic champion, who retired last year, said the timing could not be better.

Sir Chris told Sky Sports News: “Everybody I speak to when I ask about them and their experiences about becoming a parent, they mention lack of sleep, which I’m not great with so that’ll be a big challenge.

“I think maybe I’m just blindly optimistic that it’s going to be great fun and dead easy. I’m sure it won’t be, I’m sure there’ll be lots of tough things but I’m just very excited. It all seems to have happened at the right time.”

The former cyclist’s announcement comes after his fellow poster athlete for the London 2012 Games, Jessica Ennis-Hill, also announced she is to become a parent for the first time.

Ennis-Hill is expected to have her first born next month but has said she will be returning to competition and hopes to be at the Rio 2016 Games.

For his part, Sir Chris said he did not know how people coped with having children while they are competing.

And he claimed he will not be putting too much weight of expectation on his own child’s shoulders.

“It’s a very exciting period of my life and for me and Sarra, hopefully a wonderful experience,” he added.

Since retiring, Sir Chris has taken up motorsport with plans to compete at the 24-hour Le Mans race in 2016, started his own bicycle company and is acting as an ambassador with various charities.