Team GB cyclist Chris Hoy shot into the record books last night, earning his sixth overall gold medal on the track to become the most successful British Olympian of all time ahead of Sir Steve Redgrave and Daley Thompson.

His achievements have contributed to a phenomenal triumph at this summer’s London 2012 Olympics for Team GB, it is the best collective performance in an Olympic competition for over a century.

When asked about his influence on the rest of the squad, Hoy responded with his trademark modest outlook, “The British historically got used to being the plucky losers — you know, ‘we’ll support our lads and lasses, but we don’t expect them to win anything”.

“You go to the World Cup in football and there are always tales of woe and penalty shoot-out defeats. It’s like it is almost inevitable that the British are going to be beaten at some point,” he said.

Hoy, now 36, was hunted down by Maximillian Levy of Germany on the turn and looked sure to lose his lead. In true British spirit, he put his head down and went for all or nothing and his momentum kept him ahead of his competitor to seal his second gold of these London Games.

As a current figurehead for home-grown athletes and amateur cyclist Hoy was already names alongside Redgrave and Thompson as one of the most successful sporting heroes, but this recent win lifts him above both champions as the greatest, going on statistics.

“Steve Redgrave is an inspiration. I used to be a rower many years ago as a schoolboy and we looked up to Matthew [Pinsent] and Steve and all the rowers. To even be mentioned in the same sentence as this guy is an honour to me. To me, he will always be the greatest no matter how many medals anybody wins,” said Hoy.

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