Baxter faces an uphill climb to succeed in the velodrome

"It wasn't just the case of being fit for Vancouver but for the rest of my life. I've got two kids and I had to think about that but it was a really tough call and it was a massive lifestyle change. It will be hard to watch in Vancouver."

Baxter has always fancied the idea of tackling the velodrome but it's been a steep learning curve.

"Nothing really prepared me for it," he said.

"I'm used to steep hills — going down them not across them like the velodrome's banking — but I've got to grips with it easily enough. My times have been good enough to encourage me and I believe I can give it a good shot. To make the Scottish team alongside Chris Hoy would be fantastic."

The pair met on Superstars in 2004, a series Baxter went on to win. Baxter is also close friends with Scottish cyclist, Craig MacLean, whose decision to miss the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October should help Baxter's chances of lining up along with Hoy and Ross Edgar. Unlike his rivals, Baxter is not eligible for National Lottery funding and desperately needs a sponsor.

"I really need to be able to concentrate on this full-time to give myself the best chance possible of making the Commonwealth Games," he said. "I need a sponsor otherwise I can't do it full-time as I have a young family to think about. If a sponsor doesn't come up, I'll still give it a go but it'll just be that much harder."

Baxter became a household name when he won bronze in the slalom at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City but was stripped of the medal after failing a drug test for a banned substance which he later explained had come from a Vicks nasal spray.

He describes the affair as a "tricky subject" and adds: "As far as I'm concerned, it's the IOC's loss. Those in skiing still regard that medal as mine and I'll always be a bit sore about it. But I don't have the medal and that's that."

Baxter remains hopeful of adding to his trophy cabinet from the Commonwealth Games but is even more confident Britain will come away from Vancouver with its first Alpine Games medallist.

Backing skier Chemmy Alcott, Baxter said: "She's definitely got the potential and there's no reason why she can't do it. She's got all the gifts you need but it's up to her. If she gets it right on the day, a medal's easily within her grasp."