On a day when Britain's 19-year-old Laura Trott (pictured second image down) announced her emergence at the front rank of world cycling as she added omnium gold to the one she had won earlier in the team pursuit, Kenny went on to take silver in the individual sprint when an illegal move lost him his chance in the final against France's Grégory Baugé.

But for Sir Chris, beaten 2-0 in the semi-final by his British rival for the single sprint place in London, there will now be, what he believes, will be a short wait before he learns if he will be defending that particular title in the Olympic Velodrome.

Sir Chris is guaranteed selection in the team sprint and keirin, but he was always going to come under pressure from Kenny in the individual sprint after the International Cycling Union (UCI) decided that only one rider per event could compete in London.

Kenny has reached the past two World Championship finals and won silver in the event in Beijing 2008, leaving the selectors with a formidably difficult decision.


Of the five key events determining selection, Sir Chris has won three – the National Championships and two World Cup meetings.

The Scot missed the European Championships through illness.

"I'm not sure where that leaves us but to be honest my work is done," said Hoy who recovered to win bronze by defeating Australia's Shane Perkins.

"It is up to the selectors now to look at the information.

"I wouldn't like to be the one to make that call."

British Cycling have until mid-June to announce it but Sir Chris wants to be told sooner than that.

"They will announce it to us fairly soon, I think, so that we can target the events we are riding," he said.


Trott earned her second gold after a all-day battle with Australia's Annette Edmondson in the six-discipline event to earn Britain's fifth gold medal of the Championship and fourth in an Olympic discipline.

"I was really nervous and hardly slept last night, this was the first time I have led a senior competition at the end of the first day.

"And then we had dope control at breakfast and had to give a blood sample," she said after her victory.

"The scratch race was my big worry because you can crash and lose it all in a second.

"I decided to stick with Edmondson wherever she went, to mark everything she did.

"Only as we lined up for the 500 did I start to feel fairly confident because it is a strong event for me."

Trott secured victory with the final race of the competition, the 500m time-trial, in which she needed to finish no less than two places behind the Australian to ensure gold.

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