Sir Chris Hoy will not compete at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi this autumn.
Scot does not want to hamper preparations for London Olympics
Sir Chris Hoy will not compete at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi this autumn.
The Scot, who has won four Olympic gold medals, has cited the expected addition of a European Championship to the cycling calendar as the reason he will be unavailable.
"It's a decision that's been forced on me by the nature of the qualification process for the London Olympics," he told
The Scotsman.
Olympic qualification points would be up for grabs at the European event, and Hoy said: "The Olympics has to take precedence over everything.
"I could turn up at the Commonwealth Games in October, but it'd hamper my preparation for the European Championships. And I wouldn't be at 100 per cent.
"The standard at the Commonwealth Games is so high that 95 per cent wouldn't be good enough, and it would be disrespectful to the event and the Scottish team."
Hoy, 34, has won a gold medal at each of the last two Commonwealth Games.
Changes
He has been prompted to abandon the pursuit of more Commonwealth glory because cycling's world governing body the UCI announced in May that changes would be made to the Olympic Games qualification criteria, introducing continental championships alongside Track World Cup events and the Track Cycling World Championships.
The qualification period for London began after March's World Championships in Copenhagen and runs until the Melbourne event in 2012.
British Cycling anticipate the European Championships - a date and venue for which is still to be confirmed - to take place in November, meaning it is not possible to also compete in India.
"We'll support any athlete who wants to prioritise the Europeans over the Commonwealth Games," said British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford.
"Chris made the decision backed by us.
"For Chris his whole career is based around the Olympics so it makes sense that he focuses on Olympic point-scoring events.
"We supported him because the priority is the Olympic Games in London."
Victoria Pendleton, who won Commonwealth gold for England in Melbourne four years ago, has already indicated, should there be a clash, that she would choose to ride in any European Championships rather than in Delhi to ease her path to London.
And Brailsford anticipates further withdrawals from top-level British riders.
Depleted
"I think this is on a case by case basis," he added. "I don't think we should make one generalisation.
"(But) certainly I don't think you'll see all of our top track athletes going.
"I think quite a few of them look at Chris' decision - there's a logic behind the decision.
"I doubt you'll see a full British contingent in India."
Scheduling problems - rather than security issues - have prompted a number of high-profile athletes in a range of sports to opt out of competing in Delhi.
Athletes including Jamaica's Usain Bolt and England's Jessica Ennis, gymnasts Beth Tweddle and Louis Smith of England are all poised to miss the Delhi event.
Mark Cavendish (Isle of Man) could also be absent, along with a number of other road cyclists, with the Delhi Games coming adjacent to the UCI Road Cycling World Championships in Melbourne.
