Hoy thrilled with knighthood

Hoy: Delighted with knighthood

But it is, genuinely, just an amazing honour, it's also great for the sport. I always try to do what I can to promote my sport because I think it's a great thing to do.

Chris Hoy
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Triple Olympic champion Chris Hoy believes his knighthood will inspire youngsters to take up cycling.

The 32-year-old Scot became the first Briton in 100 years to win three golds at a single Olympics in Beijing 2008.

Victories in the men's keirin, team sprint and individual sprint took his tally of Olympic golds to four, adding to his nine world titles and golds at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Having been awarded an MBE for his service to cycling in the 2005 new year honours list the most successful Olympic male cyclist of all time is set to become a knight of the realm.

Unbelievable

"It's bizarre, it almost seems like it's not real," Hoy said.

"To get it from doing something you love, riding your bike - it was a hobby then it became a career. To become a knight from riding your bike, it's mad.

"But it is, genuinely, just an amazing honour, it's also great for the sport. I always try to do what I can to promote my sport because I think it's a great thing to do.

"It's great for kids or for anybody to do at any level whether it's elite level or just doing it for fun."

It is rare for a sportsman to be knighted while he is still competing, but Hoy remains focused on competing at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and the 2014 Commonwealth games thereafter.

Ambition

"I'm doing it because I love my cycling and I still believe I can improve," Hoy said.

"I've only really been doing the sprint for less than a year and a half so I've still got more to learn technically and if I can keep the same level physically or even improve, which I believe I can do, there's definitely room for improvement.

"I don't see it as frustrating because you look at it on paper and you see 'This guy's 32, he's just had the best year of his life, how can he go on from this? There's younger guys coming through'.

"But I think I've improved massively in the last year so how do I know I've reached the top?

"I could be on a steep improvement curve so while I don't expect this season to be that spectacular, I certainly think there's more to come in the next three and a half years."

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