Cycling: Hoy upbeat about future

Columnist and Senior Features Writer

Sunday 28 October 2012

SIR Chris Hoy has spoken of his hope that cycling is now in a position to move on from the Lance Armstrong doping saga which has blighted the sport.

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Susan Swarbrick

The six-times Olympic champion, in Glasgow yesterday to lend his support to the Scottish National Track Championships and ThunderDrome charity event, said he was optimistic that young riders would see it was possible to win clean.

"You have to realise the difference between riding the track and racing the Tour de France over three weeks. It's at opposite ends of the spectrum," he said. "But unfortunately all aspects of cycling get tarred with the same brush when someone as high-profile as Lance Armstrong has been doing what he's been doing."These are things that have happened in the past, but you hope that they are getting their act together and there are teams like Team Sky that are putting all of their efforts into setting an example of how it should be done. "As an example, using someone who can win the Tour de France clean shows future generations that you don't have to do what Lance Armstrong did."As athletes, all you can do is win – and win clean – and show that it's possible. I was inspired by Jason Queally winning in Sydney in 2000. When you are younger and start the sport you don't know what is going on. "You don't know if it's possible or not. Then you see your team-mate, who you know is 100% legitimate, winning a gold medal, and realise it can be done. It inspires you."As he took to the track in a series of charity races for the Braveheart Cycling Fund, Hoy spoke of his joy in competing at the state-of-the-art venue bearing his name.His own cycling career began at the crumbling velodrome at Meadowbank in Edinburgh."You never knew if you were going to get racing started, never mind finished," he said. "You were at the mercy of the weather. Meadowbank still has a very fond place in my heart. It's what got me into track cycling in the first place."You can't beat a nice sunny day at Meadowbank, but for consistency, if you have a roof on a track, you know you are going to get a full racing programme or training schedule done. "This here is a state-of-the-art facility – it's not just a roof over a track. It's something we can be very proud of and a facility the rest of the world should be very jealous of."Hoy said he would make a decision next summer on whether he would continue his career to the Commonwealth Games in 2014, adding it depended on whether his body held up. "That's the biggest thing," he said. "If I can physically do it then I'll be here."This [velodrome] is going to be electric for the Games. I'm thinking about the Games seriously anyway – my ambitions and determination haven't changed – but you can just imagine it. It's going to be absolutely awesome."

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Cycling: Hoy upbeat about future

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