Weight of expectation won't slow Victoria Pendleton

Victoria Pendleton reflected today on a track World Championships which brought Britain a record nine gold medals and declared: "We made it look too easy."

Pendleton formed a key part of the team's success in Manchester, signing off with a silver in the women's keirin to go with her two victories, but she believes they may have raised expectations to unreasonable levels.

"I've had a great run and I just didn't want it to end," she said. "I hope my silver didn't disappoint too many people who were expecting to see another Union Jack go up.

"Perhaps we have made it look too easy - it's not."

The 27-year-old from Hitchin will only compete in the sprint at this summer's Olympics in Beijing.

"I'm really pleased I won the sprint because that's the important one, the Olympic event," she said. "The rest is like a bonus. If you can win those they make you feel good about yourself."

British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford, meanwhile, admitted he was close to quitting over the first-day controversy concerning Olympic silver medallist Rob Hayles.

Brailsford was informed by the International Cycling Union on Wednesday morning that 35-year-old Hayles was found to have an haematocrit level above the 50 per cent limit.