Former Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton has announced that she is training to become a jockey.
The 34-year-old, who retired from professional cycling after the London 2012 Olympics, has teamed up with Betfair with the aim of riding in next year's Foxhunters Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist will work towards achieving a Category A amateur licence under the guidance of Yogi Breisner, Chris King and champion jumps trainer Paul Nicholls.
"I've been looking for a new and exciting challenge," said Pendleton. "When Betfair approached me about the opportunity to train to become a licensed amateur jockey, it captured my imagination.
"I'm motivated by the scale of the challenge and the opportunity to combine my love of horses with learning a new skill under the guidance of the team of horse racing experts Betfair has put in place for me."
During her cycling career, Pendleton won nine World Championship gold medals, two European golds and one Commonwealth title.
