LONDON, February 18 – British cycling hero Sir Chris Hoy has admitted he faces a race against time in order to be fit for the World Championships in Poland in six weeks' time.
The 32-year-old Scot said Tuesday he still felt "pretty sore" after crashing in a World Cup meeting in Denmark at the weekend.
Hoy won three gold medals at last year’s Beijing Olympics in the sprint, keirin and team sprint and he is aiming to defend his three world titles in those events in the Polish town of Pruskow.
But even though he is not yet sure when he will be back on a bike again, Hoy said Tuesday: "Going to the Worlds and defending them – that is my main aim for the season. I will be doing everything that I can, but I have got to be realistic and wait and see.
"I’m lucky that I have got a good team and good medical support, but I will still just have to wait and see."
Hoy, in his first competition since Beijing, was sent flying after making contact with Frenchman Kevin Sireau, who went on to win the race, in the chaotic keirin event.
Hoy suffered bruising on his shoulder and side and a bruised hip although an X-ray showed no fracture.
"I’m getting better," Hoy said. "I’m not back on the bike yet. I’m pretty sore. It could have been a lot worse. At the moment, I have no idea when I will be back training and get back on the bike.
"The problem is that there is a lot of swelling, and it is difficult to get a proper prognosis, particularly around the knees and hips, where there could be damage, but it is difficult to see."
He added: "I just need to try and get in shape for the World Championships next month."
And, despite his crash, that could mean Hoy goes through with his plan to compete at a meeting in Manchester, north-west England, this weekend. "I’ve not ruled it out completely," he said. "I have to look forward, because I know things can change really quickly.
"In the space of 24 hours, I have gone from being in a wheelchair to being on crutches, and now I am walking around."
