WIRRAL cycling star Steve Cummings is hoping to go one better and strike gold when he rides for Britain in the Olympic Games in Beijing in August . . .

The 26-year-old ex-world champion and current Commonwealth Gold medallist collected a silver medal four years ago in Athens as a member of the British team pursuit.

He is currently back at his Greasby home having a short rest after taking part in the gruelling Giro d'Italia, where he came fourth in the race's longest and toughest mountain stage, the 238km leg to Monte Pora.

He became the highest placed Briton in a mountain stage in a major Tour since mountain climbing star Robert Millar won a stage in the Tour de France in 1989.

Steve topped this off with a fantastic eighth place in the time trial on the final day, beating the Giro winner and last year's Tour de France winner and former team-mate Spanish superstar, Alberto Contador, who has a nickname for Steve - "The Motor Bike"

This performance was also one of the best-ever results by a British rider in a major Tour time-trial.

Steve finished second best overall Brit.

"After a tiny bit of rest, I have a lot of hard preparation for the Olympics," said Steve. "My hope is to go one better than in Athens four years ago and follow in the steps of Chris Boardman by bringing another Olympic cycling gold medal back to Wirral."

He added: "I also hope to have a good end of season on the road in some of the big races."

Steve's plans for next year have been finalised and an announcement will be made shortly.

Like Chris Boardman, Steve - he became a Commonwealth gold medallist in Manchester in 2002 - won the Merseyside Cycling Development Group's Golden Cycling Award last year for the third time in his illustrious career.