Hoy wonder

Three gold medals at Beijing haven't assuaged Chris Hoy's hunger for his sport… and for doing his very best to win every time, the cyclist tells Richard Moore

CHRIS HOY today takes on Lewis Hamilton on two fronts, a race track at Wembley and, this evening, in the contest to be crowned BBC Sports Personality Of The Year. In the man versus machine race before 50,000 people at Wembley, Hoy – on the face of it – doesn't stand much of a chance, but if that is the case nobody thought to tell him.

Last Wednesday, as he shivered in the bitter cold outside Harrods, where he launched a new range of Chris Hoy BMXs, the triple gold medallist from Beijing revealed that he was visiting Wembley that afternoon. He had already decided which bike he was going to use, he explained, but he was keen to reconnoitre the course on which he will go head-to-head with Hamilton. If he is going to race, he is going to do it properly.

Hoy is universally lauded not only as a great champion, but a nice guy. Yet as humble, modest and down-to-earth as he is, he is also a competitor. There is steel there, and, very occasionally, it is revealed in conversation.

On Wednesday, he was running through the 10 athletes in contention for SPOTY, diplomatically explaining why each would be a worthy winner, when he got on to the subject of the other Scot on the shortlist, Andy Murray, and became unusually animated.

"I'm lucky," said Hoy, "I've not had much negative press coverage, but you read stuff about him and he gets a huge amount of stick; that he's this dour, grumpy Scot. Some of it really winds me up!

"I saw him at Wimbledon in 2005, against David Nalbandian. He lost in five sets, but he impressed me so much, and he's impressed me even more since then. He's under immense media pressure, he earns a lot of money – he could easily go off the rails, and be photographed coming out of nightclubs and whatever. He could easily be sidetracked, but he's so focused, so determined, and that's what I admire.

"I think he's mega impressive, and I think – I hope – the British public will warm to him as he matures as a person and an athlete. I would put money on him winning a Grand Slam in the next year or two, and I hope then he gets the respect he deserves."

So much for Murray. What about Hoy's prospects of winning this year's SPOTY, and becoming the first Scot to triumph since Liz McColgan in 1991, and the first cyclist to win since the late Tom Simpson in 1965?

For all that it is an easy target to lampoon – with its cheesy features and cheesier presenters – there is no denying the prestige associated with the award, especially at the conclusion to an incredible year for British sport. On Hamilton, Hoy says: "I wouldn't begrudge him it if he won. What he's done is amazing, and, though I've not met him, he seems a very likeable guy. I'm a fan of motor sport – more rallying, but I like F1 and have a lot of respect for him, especially because of the attention he gets. But I would like to see an Olympian win, because we only get the chance every four years. Ben Ainslie: to win golds in three consecutive Olympics is an amazing achievement. And Becky (Adlington]: she's brilliant. But it's great to have four cyclists in the last 10 – it reflects not just what the team did this year, but over the past four years. It's nice to get recognition for that."

What Hoy will not address – directly – is the prospect of him winning. "I'm just looking forward to the evening," he insists. "I've always loved watching it. I love the montages they put together; they really get the hairs on the back of the neck standing up."

Tonight's ceremony – and today's exhibition race against Hamilton – are brief interludes for Hoy. He returned to training two weeks ago, upon returning from a holiday in Thailand, and is relishing it.

"Getting back to training reminds me why I do it," he says. "I'm in my element. I've already had my eyes opened to the fact that it's going to be tough even to keep my place in the team with some of the young guys coming through. It was funny returning to racing (in the Revolution meeting in Manchester last Saturday]. In the past, the Revolution meetings have been a bit of a show, but now the racing is full on. The young guys see it as an opportunity to make an impact."

That steeliness is evident again when he talks about those emerging youngsters nipping at his heels, and also the world championships in Poland in March. He has done his homework. "Do you know," he says, "that at the world's (in Los Angeles] in 2005 none of the Olympic champions won the world title in the discipline in which they won their Olympic title. Men or women?

"The year after the Olympics is traditionally transitional – people retire; young riders are blooded," he continues. "But I think you've got to put your head on the block. It'll be a compromised season for me – having missed so much training since Beijing I can't expect to be flying. But…"

"But" indeed. The truth is that Hoy will be – is already – kept on his toes by those such as Jason Kenny, who finished second to him in the sprint in Beijing, and 18-year-old David Daniell, "the new Chris Hoy," according to head coach Shane Sutton.

Among Sutton's other utterances has been his conviction that Hoy, who will be 36 by 2012, is likely to have ridden his last Olympics in Beijing. He was at it again last week, telling Sky Sports that the coaches "won't have done their jobs properly if Chris is in the team in London".

Hoy also becomes animated when asked about this – which is perhaps Sutton's intention. "I was asked about what Shane said and just said: 'I'll speak to him later,'" says Hoy. "I think I know what he's doing – he's saying the standard will be higher in 2012 than it is now, but I wouldn't expect anything else.

"British Cycling have been fantastic," he continues. "They haven't put any pressure on me even to ride the world championships, but it's something I want to do. They've supported me 100%, and said to me to take as long as I wanted after the Olympics to take advantage of some of the opportunities that have come my way."

Of the many and varied opportunities that have come his way, Hoy selects the Edinburgh open top bus parade as the highlight, with the job he fulfilled with such fist-pumping aplomb – delivering the match ball at Murrayfield as Scotland prepared to take on the All Blacks – a close second.

"It was pretty special," says Hoy, who captained the Edinburgh Schools' rugby team at U15 level. "It was a boyhood dream to walk out at Murrayfield. I used to sit in the schoolboys' enclosure for all the Five Nations games, and then run on to the pitch at the end."

As much as he insists that he will be content to attend tonight's Sports Personality Of The Year ceremony as a spectator, the shortening odds on him winning suggest Hoy could yet end up the surprise star.

EXPERTS' VIEW

WHO the previous winners of the BBC award are rooting for this year.

JOE CALZAGHE (2007)

The Welshman is one of those up for the award, but having won it last year, says he isn't too fussed who wins this time.

ZARA PHILLIPS (2006)

Racing driver Lewis Hamilton gets the royal seal of approval from the reigning eventing world champion.

ANDREW FLINTOFF (2005)

Having recently met Chris Hoy, the bowler is convinced the Scot is the perfect ambassador for British sport.

KELLY HOLMES (2004)

Probably the least controversial choice in recent years, Dame Kelly is backing fellow double-gold medal winner Rebecca Adlington.

JONNY WILKINSON (2003)

Having ruined many an afternoon for the Scots, the prolific kicker has shown it was nothing personal by backing Chris Hoy.

PAULA RADCLIFFE (2002)

Perhaps unsurprisingly for a Monaco-based tax exile, Radcliffe sees Hamilton's exploits as worthy of recognition.

STEVE REDGRAVE (2000)

Having carved out his own niche in Olympic history, Redgrave can't see past the gold-winning exploits of Hoy.

MICHAEL OWEN (1998)

Not exactly known for his outspoken views, the little striker refuses to be drawn on who he hopes wins.

GREG RUSEDSKI (1997)

Surprisingly the former US Open finalist opts for Chris Hoy ahead of Andy Murray.

JONATHAN EDWARDS (1995)

The triple jumper believes Adlington should win for overcoming British swimming's many shortfalls.