Pendleton striving for perfection

Great Britain track cycling star Victoria Pendleton has revealed her struggle in the pursuit of perfection, ahead of this weekend's Track World Cup opener in Manchester, England. In a revealing interview with the United Kingdom's Guardian newspaper, Pendleton described herself as an insecure, self-critical perfectionist.

"Believe me it's a constant struggle," Pendleton told the paper. "People say, 'Wow, you've achieved it all this year, two world championship wins and an Olympic gold medal.' And I think, 'Yeah, but how come I feel so unsatisfied and under pressure all over again?'"

The athlete has been on an emotional ride as she comes down from the high of Olympic success in Beijing, China at August's Olympic Games. Despite the lows, Pendleton says she's come to realise only one thing can fill the void she's felt – more Olympic glory when the Olympic Games are next staged in London in 2012.

"I soon worked out that the only thing I could do was to get another gold medal. I need one. If 2012 goes to plan, winning the Olympics on my home turf, I might finally feel I've achieved the ultimate for me."

This weekend's race in Manchester kicks off the five round UCI Track World Cup, which will also visit Australia, Columbia, China and Denmark. The UCI Track World Championships will be held in Poland in March, 2009.