Hoy picks Dutch and English to win sprint and keirin

PETALING JAYA: Azizulhasni Awang will not like to hear this but it could be just the thing to motivate him to go all out and prove six-time Olympic champion Chris Hoy (pic) wrong.

The British cycling legend tipped Dutch cyclists Harrie Lavreysen, Jeffrey Hoogland and his countryman Jason Kenny as contenders in the sprint and keirin in Tokyo.

“I think if everything goes to the form book, then it would be a huge surprise if Lavreysen or Hoogland didn’t win the sprint.

“They have consistently been head and shoulders above the rest for the last four years, making less and less tactical errors,” Hoy told the British media.

“The Dutch sprint team have been dominant for the last four or five years and it’s almost a sure thing that they will win while the rest are playing for second place, but the Brits are getting closer and closer.

“Team GB under-performed across the board for various reasons last year in Berlin (world championships); some of which were out of their control due to illness and injury etc and they have had time to go away and lick their wounds, reset and come back with a bang,” added Hoy, who feels Kenny will be at his peak during the competition.

Kenny goes into the Games alongside Hoy with the most gold medals – six – for a British Olympian.

And Hoy does not mind if his record is surpassed.

“If you are going to lose your record to someone, you want it to be your old teammates so that you too can enjoy that moment.”