By Bruce Pope

Pendleton won three golds at this year's World Track Championships

British track cycling star Victoria Pendleton has not ruled out doubling up with road racing for the 2012 Olympics.

The decision to lose the 500 metre time trial from the women's track events at next year's Olympics has limited Pendleton's chances in Beijing.

That leaves just the individual sprint event as a realistic medal chance for the 26-year-old.

"I'm really annoyed. The one event I can compete in is the biggest gamble there is," Pendleton told BBC Sport.

"It's sad that I haven't got a chance to compete in another event."

The International Olympic Committee dropped the women's 500m tt and the men's kilometre in order to accommodate two BMX events.

Pendleton is a specialised sprinter, taking three golds - in the keirin, sprint and team disciplines - at the recent World Championships in Mallorca.

But with no keirin, no team, and now no 500 tt events as Olympic cycling disciplines for the women, Pendleton is considering whether to branch out after Beijing.

I've still got a long way to go to reach my full potential, but I'm hoping I'll make gains in the next year Victoria Pendleton

"Not the BMX, no thank you, it's too late for me there I think, but maybe the road for London," she said.

Welsh rider Nicole Cooke is Britain's leading female road racer, with Pendleton the pin-up girl on the track.

But the prospect of the pair being able to team up to chase medals on home turf for 2012 is an exciting one.

Triple gold success in Mallorca established Pendleton, from Stotfold but now based in Manchester, as one of Britain's great Olympic hopes.

It is that thought of Olympic gold that drives her on now, but Pendleton believes she has still not reached her peak.

"Mallorca is all forgotten, focussing on next year and the Olympics is what it's all about now," she said.

"I've got to get that one in the bag before I start enjoying my success. I think I'm ahead of schedule in my training but it's early days yet.

I'm still open-minded about learning new things Victoria Pendleton

"I've still got a long way to go to reach my full potential, but I'm hoping I'll make gains in the next year.

"I'm still learning techniques and the more experience you can get - in the sprint events in particular - the more you can gain, the more you can take.

"It's very easy for someone to tell you what to do on the track, but until you've given it a go - whether it's worked or it hasn't - it's really hard to develop."

The analysis and training undertaken by the GB cycling team is exhaustive, often exhausting, but Pendleton says nothing is being left to chance.

She points in particular to the addition of German great Jan van Eiden to the coaching set-up as a sprint consultant.

"I'm still open-minded about learning new things and hopefully with Jan van Eiden as my new sprint coach I'll be able to become a little more astute," Pendleton said.

"He's an amazing tactician and to finally have someone in the team who has more experience to pass on is exactly what we need right now.