Victoria Pendleton primed for Olympic Games

Britain's Victoria Pendleton said on Monday she was in even better shape heading into the London Olympics than when she won cycling gold on the track in Beijing four years ago.

"Training has been going really well, I'm really pleased with it," said Pendleton, one of Britain's leading hopes for a home gold medal.

"I took a two-year training programme to build up to the Olympics and I'm really pleased with the way it's panned out and I think I'm in the best form I've ever been in at this stage.

"Definitely compared to the last Olympic cycle I'm in better condition.

"I don't really think I could get any fitter. As an elite athlete you're always on the limit, push yourself any further and you could get injured."

World champion Pendleton said she couldn't wait to start he Olympic campaign.

"I'm feeling really positive about it, I just want to get out there now! It's nearly here, I've got a 100-days-to-go chocolate calendar and I'm opening the doors and can see how close it's getting."

She added: "There's a lot of pressure but we've always known it was going to be building, it's a home games!

"The pressure is not going to disappear and life will be a breeze tomorrow but it adds to the challenge of what you want to achieve and how you're going to push yourself.

"This is going to be the hardest and biggest event I've ever competed in and I want to do my very best. Everything put together makes for a huge experience."

But although focused on winning gold, Pendleton said she was determined to savour every aspect of Olympic competition.

"I've had bad experiences in competitions, in Athens I was really disappointed with my result so I felt really negatively about the whole thing," she recalled.

"After that I had to change my approach and decide to enjoy everything about it, where we're staying, what we're eating and wearing, being part of a team.

"I want to take it all in because sometimes you're so involved in your little area of sport you forget you're on the team representing GB at the Olympic Games, it's a pretty special thing.

"I want to look back on it for the rest of my life and just think 'wow'."