The now retired British track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy is the most successful Olympian in the sport’s history. He has won six gold and one silver medal on sport’s top stage, as well as an assortment of 25 medals at the Track Cycling World Championships. The majority of Hoy’s victories have come in the Team Sprint and the Keirin, both disciplines that make use of his explosive power.

Hoy was born in March 1976 in Edinburgh. He claims to have first been inspired to pursue cycling by the film E.T the Extra-Terrestrial. He began by racing BMX and was later ranked in the world junior top ten. Hoy began his track cycling career proper on joining the City of Edinburgh Racing Club in 1994. His first major triumph would come in the 1999 World Championships where he took silver in the Team Sprint. From that year until his retirement Hoy would not see a season pass without a medal in international competition. He was made an MBE in the 2005 New Years Honours list.

His most successful season was undoubtedly 2008, during which he took three golds at the Olympics and two golds and a silver at the World Championships. Plaudits for the Scottish rider multiplied and he was nominated BBC Sports Personality of the year as well as being bestowed a knighthood. Hoy also joined professional outfit Team Sky+ HD.

The London Olympics in 2012 were Hoy’s swansong, leading out the British team during the opening ceremony. He finished the event with two more gold medals. Hoy announced his retirement in April 2013.