BRITAIN'S most successful Olympian Sir Chris Hoy is expected to announce his retirement later this week.

The six-time track cycling champion has spent the period post-London 2012 deliberating over his future, with the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games a major consideration.

He will be 38 by the time competition starts at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

Sir Chris is to hold a news conference in Edinburgh on Thursday, when it is thought he will make his decision public.

Sir Chris has competed in four Olympic Games and won a British record six gold medals, including two in London last August and three in Beijing in 2008.

When asked last year about competing in 2014, Sir Chris, said: "There's no chance I don't want to do it - the motivation and desire is there.

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

"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."

Sir Chris, who won his first Olympic gold in Athens in 2004, has prepared for life beyond com- petitive action and last year announced he would be releasing a cycle brand bearing his name.

It is not just in the Olympics where Hoy has triumphed, but his success in that arena propelled him to super-stardom. He has 10 world titles to his name.

rebecca.gray@eveningtimes.co.uk