WORLD CUP SERIES, MANCHESTER
Venue: Manchester Velodrome Dates: 30 Oct - 1 Nov
Coverage:Watch live on BBC Two, the red button and BBC Sport website (UK only); live commentary on BBC 5 live sports extra

Hoy leads home GB sprint clean sweep (UK only)

Sir Chris Hoy led home a British men's sprint 1-2-3 for his second gold medal at the Track World Cup in Manchester.

The four-time Olympic gold medallist showed he was back to his best after a hip injury by beating compatriot Matt Crampton 2-0 in the final.

Jason Kenny completed the clean sweep with bronze after edging out Australia's Shane Perkins.

There were also golds for Wendy Houvenaghel (individual pursuit) and Lizzie Armitstead (points race).

Hoy paid tribute to his team-mates, but hopes to stay ahead of 23-year-old Crampton and 21-year-old Kenny - the Beijing silver medallist - until after the London Olympics.

"If they weren't around pushing me on, there's no question I wouldn't be performing at the level I am at the moment," said Hoy, who would be 36 and in his fourth Games in London.

Houvenaghel takes individual pursuit gold (UK only)

"They're inspiring me and pushing me on and I'm just really grateful they're there - but I don't know how much longer I'll be grateful for.

"It's getting closer and closer, but hopefully I can hold them off to London and they can have a great Olympics in 2016."

Houvenaghel finished second in China to Rebecca Romero, who is absent this weekend with the event poised to be removed from the Olympic programme in changes proposed by cycling's world governing body, the UCI.

But the 34-year-old Ulster rider was in superb form, qualifying fastest and catching Australia's Josephine Tomic with a lap to go in the final for the win.

"This was just a chance for me to have a run out before the team pursuit on Sunday, which is my main event," she said. "My form's good and I'll bring that through to the pursuit."

Armitstead wins women's points race in style

But Houvenaghel said she would not be considering a switch to the road time-trial where Romero is likely to compete.

"I feel that my strengths lie on the track," she added. "The team pursuit is probably going to be included in the London events and that will be my route to Olympic gold."

Armitstead made up for the disappointment of only finishing 10th in Friday's scratch race with a storming win in the points race, sealing it with success in the final two sprints.

"That was one of my hardest races ever," said the 20-year-old from Yorkshire. "It really killed my legs.

"The points races are hard enough when you've got good form and when you're slightly off they're just painful from beginning to end."

There was also a silver medal and a new British record for Victoria Pendleton in the 500m time trial.

Pendleton pipped in 500m time-trial

Pendleton, who won Friday's sprint, clocked a time of 33.838 seconds behind Australia's Anna Meares (33.632).

Pendleton was only riding in the non-Olympic event because she was without a partner for the team event as the only female in the Team Sky+HD squad.

"I'm not a 500-metre rider, I'm not a 500m specialist," said Pendleton afterwards. "I'm not about to start wasting my time on a non-Olympic event.

"But it's a massive personal best for me and on dropped handlebars it's the best standing (start) lap I've ever done."

The women's sprint team of Becky James and Jess Varnish missed out on a medal after losing to Germany in the ride-off for bronze.

Team Sky+HD: Ross Edgar, Chris Hoy, Peter Mitchell, Victoria Pendleton, Jamie Staff

Team GB: Lizzie Armitstead, Steven Burke, Ed Clancy, Matt Crampton, David Daniell, Wendy Houvenaghel, Rebecca James, Jason Kenny, Chris Newton, Joanna Rowsell, Ben Swift, Andy Tennant, Geraint Thomas, Jess Varnish

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