Hoy claims Beijing victory is best-ever

Posted: Saturday 16th August 2008 | 13:12

ATHENS gold medallist Chris Hoy believes winning team sprint gold in Beijing eclipses his achievements of four years previous.

The British trio of Hoy, triple world junior medallist Jason Kenny and former BMX star Jamie Staff topped the podium, blitzing world Champions France in the gold medal showdown at the Laoshan Velodrome.

Team GB and France have been locked in a war of words all week, following the pair's spectacular World Championship clash earlier this year.

France pipped Team GB to gold in Manchester by just 0.4 seconds but when it mattered most in the Far East - the British trio produced the goods.

Hoy and the British squad had made some extravagant claims this week about times recorded in practice by Team GB stars in Beijing but in their opening race the British trio backed up their bold predictions of setting new world best times.

"To win it as part of a team is a totally different feeling than when you do it individually," said Hoy, who won gold in the one kilometre time trial in Athens four years ago.

"We thought we were up against it in this event and it's not the one we were fancied in.

"The French thumped us in the World Championships but to turn that around at the Olympics is the stuff of dreams.

"I was struggling a bit at the back and thought I was going to fall off the pace, but that keeps it interesting, you don't want a boring race, do you?

"I did the best three laps of my life and to do it against the French was great because they are pretty much invincible."

Britain recorded a world record in their opening appearance on the track - clocking an electrifying time of 42.95 seconds - with opening lap rider Staff setting an individual best ever time in the process of 17.98 seconds.

The French bounced back and guaranteed their appearance in a gold medal showdown in impressive style, seeing off Malaysia in 43.655 seconds.

Team GB then hit back as they laid down a sizeable marker - powering home ahead of America to set up a repeat performance of the Manchester World Champs, clocking 43.034 seconds - to confirm their status as pre-final favourites.

After road race success for British cyclists Emma Pooley and Nicola Cooke earlier this week -Hoy and co. ensured Team GB dominance continued as they comfortably saw off France in the final.

Staff and Kenny set Team GB on their way to gold, allowing Hoy to blast home on the final leg as the British trio snatched the gold by 0.4 seconds in 43.045 seconds in a tense finale at the Velodrome.

In the bronze medal showdown - Germany pipped Australia to the final podium position in 44.014 seconds.

Meanwhile, fellow Brit Bradley Wiggins remains on course to land back-to-back pursuit golds after an impressive opening showing at the Laoshan velodrome.

With the British trio of Hoy, Staff and Kenny hogging the headlines at the velodrome after landing team sprint gold - Wiggins sneaked through pursuit qualification almost unnoticed.

The Brit looks nailed on to land a second successive podium topping position after breaking his Olympic record time of 4.15.031 minutes.

"I was a bit disappointed with the opposition," said Wiggins. "I thought it was the Olympics and I thought everyone would up their game to be honest.

"I worked my ‘nuts off for this' and I thought people would have a bit more than that.

"I was really pleased for Steven Burke I knew he could do a 4.22 minutes but he didn't know he could do it in qualifying.

"I am not surprised about our success here, everyone was giving it large after the world championships, asking how are you going to do that again? This is what the whole four years has been about it is great."

Wiggins' nearest challenger looks to be New Zealander Hayden Roulston, who will be hoping to put the British rider under pressure later today (Saturday).

The reigning world champion, 28, across three disciplines is bidding to take three Olympic gold medals in the five days of track competition, beginning with the individual pursuit, continuing with the team event on Sunday and Monday before contesting the Madison with Mark Cavendish on Tuesday.

DANIEL SCHOFIELD in Beijing