Games will transform London - Hoy

Triple Olympic gold medallist Chris Hoy believes London will be "transformed" by the 2012 Olympics and the country as a whole will feel the benefits.

Speaking to Inside Sport, cycling star Hoy said: "Every Olympics I've been to transforms a city.

"It's about everyone and there's going to be positive spin-offs for the whole of the country," he added.

"I would urge people, whether they're from Wick or from London - try to make the effort to come to the Olympics."

The 32-year-old, who returns to training in November following his incredible performances in Beijing, has already labelled London 2012 a "massive motivation" for him as an individual.

And Hoy, from Edinburgh, believes the Games will bring nothing but benefits for "the whole country, not just for people living in the city centre".

He said: "This could be a catalyst for future Olympic Games, for success for British athletes in the future too.

"Hopefully it's going to reach a much wider audience than a normal Olympics would."

"It means nothing until you've actually done it when it counts"
Chris Hoy on his first Olympic win, in Athens

Speaking to BBC Sport's Gabby Logan, Hoy admitted his experience in Beijing had not topped Athens 2004, where he first became an Olympic champion.

"The first time you do something of that magnitude - whether you're the favourite or not, whether you've beaten everyone in the field or not - it means nothing until you've actually done it when it counts," he said.

"It's such a hard thing to do, I'll never experience pressure like that again.

"(In Beijing) I focused on the team sprint and that was going to be the main event. I didn't take it too seriously at first.

"To sit here talking about three gold medals - I would never have believed that, even if you'd only told me two years ago."

Hoy said the prospect of racing at a velodrome named after him - Scotland's planned Commonwealth Games venue in Glasgow - felt "really weird", but admitted to having enjoyed rumours of a knighthood.

"It's one of those things the media love talking about," he said.

"It's very flattering. I feel a bit old, but not too old for that sort of thing.

"It's very nice when you hear these sorts of stories, but it's just speculation really."

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