Olympic gold medal cyclist Jason Queally talks to Frank Elson about the wheel of fortune.

THERE are many reasons why athletes put themselves through the hard work that leads to success in their speciality.

For Jason Queally, cycling gold medallist and MBE, it is a driving ambition to do his best.

"I don't so much compete against other cyclists as compete against myself," he said during a visit to Bolton from his Chorley home this week.

"I have to do as well as I possibly can in anything I do. Luckily, at Sydney that meant I won the gold medal."

How does a gold medallist cyclist start? "Of course I rode a bike as a kid -- I was even into BMX for a while -- but it was just childish messing around.

"But as a serious sport, about 10 years ago I was a swimmer. I decided to try a triathlon and bought a bike.

"I went to a few time trials near to my home in Lancaster and found I was quite good at it so started to go into it seriously.

"Having Manchester Velodrome so close was a great help in training indoors. I've often wondered what would have happened if I'd lived near Birmingham, or somewhere where the facilities were not as good."

Nowadays he does not have time for any hobbies or pastimes other than cycling.

"I read a little, watch some TV, that's all. I used to enjoy rock climbing and walking but it isn't just time, it's the fact that other sports can be detrimental to cycling.

"It's all down to something called 'Neural Pathways', the connection between brain, spine and muscles, even walking affects that pattern.

"For instance, at the weekend I took part in a sports star event with Jonathon Edwards and some others and I had to do a sprint. My legs are still hurting as a result."

Cycling, and training for cycling is not, however, a chore or a job for Jason. "It's relaxing!" he laughed, "honestly, I enjoy it, it's what I do.

"The Olympics do change things though. Beforehand I was sponsored with some National Lottery money and I was aiming at something. Then, suddenly I won the gold medal and being a gold medallist rather than a cyclist is a job of sorts.

"It's only post-Olympics that I have done things like this (he was in Bolton opening a new office for a recruitment agency -- and publicising the Commonwealth Games) which is no problem but it is a job, whereas cycling, as such, is not.

"Cycling is something that I am very positive about, I have to be the best I can be and, although I am an Olympic Champion I still think I can be better.

"Time, for instance. I think I can go faster and I have to try although I know that at 31 the other sort of time is the enemy."

I asked if this driving ambition went above all else. "It's not a driving ambition that blots out everything else. It's a challenge that I have found in my life and one which requires a great deal of time in training. I will very soon give up personal appearances and the like and get down to serious training for the Commonwealth Games and then there will not be time for much else until the competition.

"It isn't really about competing either, I found that I was very good at something and wanted to find out just how good I was. Winning is good but it's not the be-all and end-all. My best was good enough to win the gold medal at the time.

"I do know others to whom winning is everything, but I'm not like that."

I wondered if competing under the national flag was a boost. For instance, in the Olympics in the team trial the other members of the team Jason was a member of were Scottish, in the Commonwealth Games he will be competing against them.

"It's a strange situation, you don't go out there to compete for your country, you go to just compete, but then when you enter into the camaraderie of the team you do feel proud to be representing your country.

"Getting the MBE was a real honour, from my country, which did mean something."

Jason is very enthusiastic about having the Commonwealth Games in the area.

"I'm Lancastrian so it's great to have the games in the North West. So many people will get so much out of it. I was really impressed by the volunteers at Sydney, it was important to them and I hope it will be so for the 15,000 volunteers we need for next year.

"We have to make a success of these games or we will never get the Olympics here or anywhere in this country."

Conscious of his age and the time left to him Jason knows that he really has only the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics in Athens in 2004 left.

So what will he do afterwards?

"It will be a completely new direction. l've been with my partner for 10 years and we'd like to start a family. She's a doctor with an important career so it's entirely possible that I may be a house-husband!"