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Sir Chris Hoy expected to announce retirement from cycling

Last updated on .From the section Cyclingcomments191

Olympics cycling: GB men win team sprint gold

Great Britain's most successful Olympian Sir Chris Hoy is expected to announce his retirement on Thursday.

The six-time track cycling champion is to hold a news conference in his home city of Edinburgh where it is thought he will make his decision public.

Hoy, 37, who won two gold medals at London 2012, also won 11 world titles.

BBC Scotland is reporting that Hoy will retire immediately and not compete in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which take place in the Scottish city of Glasgow.

"It doesn't come as a huge surprise, if indeed, he does retire," said BBC Sport cycling reporter Jill Douglas.

"He said after the Olympics he would take some time [to decide his future].

"He's had a long holiday and been busy developing his new bike brand and he will have thought long and hard about any decision he has made."

Hoy claimed his first Olympic gold medal when he won the one kilometre time-trial in the velodrome at Athens in 2004.

Successes in the team sprint, keirin and sprint at the Beijing Games four years later gave him three more gold medals and he was voted the 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year before being knighted in the New Year's Honours list.

He then took his tally to a British record six Olympic gold medals by winning the team sprint and keirin at London 2012.

Hoy had the motivation of carrying on until the 2014 Commonwealth Games, with the track cycling taking place at the velodrome which was named after him.

When asked last year about competing in Glasgow, Hoy told BBC Sport: "There's no chance I don't want to do it - the motivation is there and the desire is there.

"It's literally down to whether I can do it or not."

He added: "I wouldn't just want to get on the team to get the tracksuit, turn up and wave to the crowd. I want to go there to win. If I believe I can do that and I'm able to do that then I will be there."

Hoy did not compete at the World Track Championships in Belarus during February 2013.

"He will be 38 when the Commonwealth Games come around and, in all fairness, unless he was going to be up there on the podium he would not want to deny a young rider the opportunity to race," said Douglas.

She added: "People talk about legends of sport and no question Sir Chris Hoy is right up there.

"There is nothing this man has not achieved on the track but, I think more than that, the professionalism and leadership he has brought to British cycling over the past 10-15 years is remarkable and that is what will be missed more than anything.

"I just hope that, if he is announcing his retirement, that he is retained and he is able to share some of the vast experience as well as that leadership with the young riders coming through.

"He is universally respected and I know that he'll want to carry on contributing to the next breed of Chris Hoy's coming through."

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191 comments

  • Comment posted by pete clack, at 15:03 15 Apr 2013

    When you talk of truly great sportsmen then Sir Chris will be right in the top few. Not only one of the greatest cyclists of all time, but an inspiration to others, he is a true legend yes but to be a great it's more than that, it's being a great in every aspect of your sporting and normal life. A generous man, a champion and a role model for anyone aspiring to play sport. Thank you Sir Chris Hoy.

  • Comment posted by Peake, at 16:52 15 Apr 2013

    All those people saying "riding a bike isn't that hard, he doesn't deserve all this attention." They might as well say "oh Usain Bolt isn't anything special, I can run around a track too!" Ridiculous statements made by uneducated people.

  • Comment posted by Stuart, at 16:18 15 Apr 2013

    Anyone that feels the need to compare Sir Chris to Lance Armstrong's level doesn't know much about cycling, the two "competed" (in reality one competed one cheated) in polar opposite forms of Cycling, The real McCoy was never an Endurance Cyclist built for the road.

  • Comment posted by User0088255957, at 15:16 15 Apr 2013

    If this is true, 1) Good luck, Sir Chris, put your feet up and congratulations on your achievements, 2) Why does the BBC have to steal his thunder by telling us before he has announced it? Annoying journalism again from the BBC.

  • Comment posted by User0823112667, at 16:48 15 Apr 2013

    48. themightyshed

    Quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Hoy would be up at 6 at the Manchester Velodrome for years, he won two Olympic Golds at 36 against far younger opponents!!!

    What endorsements exactly? He was on a cereal ad once. And why is being a "minority sport" an advantage? Does the same apply for Steve Redgrave?

  • Comment posted by User0823112667, at 15:26 15 Apr 2013

    A truly wonderful man, fierce in competition but humble in victory and visibly moved by praise.

    A true Knight.

  • Comment posted by User0823112667, at 15:49 15 Apr 2013

    33. Money

    Very naive to tar the whole bunch with the 'Armstrong Brush'....Hoy is a true sporting icon.

  • Comment posted by drinksmonitor, at 17:14 15 Apr 2013

    @71. And you make me embarrassed to be a Scotsman.

  • Comment posted by Mike, at 16:43 15 Apr 2013

    28.
    One in a million

    "Don't suppose this means he'll do a proper days work now like the rest of us wage slaves? "

    If only the cycling selectors had noted your sporting prowess eh? Did you slip through the net.I guess you are just jealous.

  • Comment posted by Lord Zakspade of Elbonia, at 16:15 15 Apr 2013

    "...unless he was going to be up there on the podium he would not want to deny a young rider the opportunity to race,"

    If that's the reason then not only is he a brilliant competitor, he is a great man.

  • Comment posted by dominicmiller, at 16:59 15 Apr 2013

    Yoosername123. Have you actually watched any track sprinting? There is a huge amount of skill in handling a bike at that speed (40mph plus) with one or more other riders within inches of you. Not to mention the tactical nous required. And there is even technique to pedelling - it's not just pushing your legs down as fast as you can. Clearly you know none of this....

  • Comment posted by HiggoJ, at 16:49 15 Apr 2013

    @28
    Maybe you should have got off your lazy backside and done something with your life then instead of moaning about someone who did something with theirs and no longer has to be a 'wage slave' as you so eloquently put it.

  • Comment posted by Rocket Surgeon, at 15:41 15 Apr 2013

    Let him bloody announce it then! Why do we have this culture of predictive news?!

  • Comment posted by ding-ding75, at 16:05 15 Apr 2013

    I hope Hoy has all the success with whatever he has for his future plans.

    He has been a true sportsman & gentleman and a great ambassador for both Britain & Scotland.

  • Comment posted by SonofSomerset, at 14:11 15 Apr 2013

    Fantastic athlete and complete gentlemen. Legend.

  • Comment posted by spidernick, at 16:43 15 Apr 2013

    A great sportsman and a true gentleman. He will be missed.

  • Comment posted by Je ne sais quoi, at 16:43 15 Apr 2013

    2 hours in the gym everyday and riding a bike until you blackout, yes that doesn't sound like an athlete does it...

  • Comment posted by dominicmiller, at 16:33 15 Apr 2013

    43.Yoosername123:
    "All he does is ride a bike, not exactly a sport requiring talent. Fairly sure with the right training anyone could do it."

    You clearly have no clue whatsever what you're talking about.

  • Comment posted by User0335908173, at 14:09 15 Apr 2013

    Because of this BBC article it sounds like his retirement has been announced today!

    Regardless, well done Sir Chris Hoy on a remarkably successful career.

    You are a credit to the sport and I hope you are able to continue to support cycling in some kind od of ambassador role somehow.

    Best wishes to you.

  • Comment posted by MK-Glasgow, at 16:38 15 Apr 2013

    @43 Have you actually stepped anywhere near a velodrome Track. Have you seen how steep that banking is? I have! What these guys do almost defy the laws of gravity and physics to stay on these bikes at the speed they go. Get your facts righ and gen up on track cycling. I think you will find that you have to be as fit, if not fitter than an Olympic Sprinter to get even remotely close to Sir Chris.

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