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LET'S HEAR IT FOR HOY, THE BEST FOR A CENTURY

The man who rewrote the history books

Chris Hoy is the greatest British Olympic sportsman for 100 years. It's a fact. No other Briton has won three golds at a single Games since 1908 and considering that the sprint events are among the most demanding disciplines of any sport, then his achievement is even more remarkable.

He compares directly with Usain Bolt. The Jamaican ruled the athletics track with three golds and as many world records, whereas Hoy rewrote the record books with his performances at the velodrome. The one big difference is that Bolt didn't have to switch disciplines like Hoy, who found himself in the uneviable position being the defending champion of a defunct title when the kilometre was thrown out of the Olympics after Athens.

Hoy still had the team sprint, but as he turned 30, it looked likely he would be best remembered as a kilo specialist. He first turned to the keirin, but didn't begin his transformation to world-conquering sprinter until some 14 months ago.

I grew up listening to stories about Reg Harris, a multi-world sprint champion who transcended his sport to become a household name. It's been a very long wait but his successor has finally arrived.

Join in with the celebration of Hoy's feat - and that of the other cycling medal winners - with our special 96-page souvenir Olympic Games edition of Cycling Weekly, out on Thursday.

Plus we ask Dave Reade how he lost six stone to go from national champion shot putter to track cyclist, test the new Look 585 bike, take a ride with Max Pendleton and much more.

Cycling Weekly August 28 issue is on sale from Thursday at WHSmith, major supermarkets and all good newsagents priced £2.50.

Robert Garbutt
Editor