FEBRUARY 13 - SIR CHRIS HOY (pictured) marked his return to top-class cycling after a long spell out since the Beijing Olympics with a victory tonight in the World Cup at Copenhagen.

 

The triple Olympic champion teamed up with fellow gold medallists Jamie Staff and Jason Kenny to win the team sprint in the Danish capital.

 

Competing under the British "Team Sky" colours, the trio won in a time of 44.129sec.

 

Hoy, who became the first Briton for 100 years to win three golds at one Olympic Games last summer to take his career total to four, is due to return to action tomorrow in the men's keirin, an event in which he is Olympic and world champion.

 

The other British team of Matthew Crampton, David Daniell and Ross Edgar finished fourth.

 

There was also success for another of Britain's heroes from Beijing, Victoria Pendleton.

 

Despite a fall in one of her semi-final races, the Olympic champion took victory in the women's sprint, seeing off France's Carla Sanchez 2-0 in the final.

 

Britain's third gold of the day came courtesy of 20-year-old Lizzie Armitstead.

 

One of the rising stars of the strong British team, she took victory in the women's scratch race.

 

However, another youngster, Jo Rowsell, had to settle for bronze in the individual pursuit.

 

Eleonora van Dijk of Holland took gold and Canada's Tara Whitton the silver.

 

The last meet of the World Cup season continues until Sunday, with the cyclists putting the finishing touches to their preparation for next month's World Championships in Poland.