TWO-TIME Olympic medallist Bryan Steel is backing Jason Kenny to rediscover his form at this year’s Olympic Games.

After the retirement of Sir Chris Hoy following London 2012, all eyes were on Bolton hero Kenny as the man who could fill his sizeable shoes.

The 27-year-old got off to a great start as he claimed the 2013 world title, but he finished fifth the following year while he fell at the first round at the 2015 edition.

Kenny, who won a gold and a silver at the 2008 Olympics and two golds in London four years later, will be looking to peak at the right time.

He has the chance to put down and marker at next month's UCI Track World Championships in London, and Steel, who won team pursuit bronze and silver medals at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics respectively, is not counting the Farnworth man out of anything just yet as the Rio Games loom large on the horizon.

“I think his confidence will have taken a bit of a hit as sprint disciplines are really all about tactics and power, and that’s really where Chris Hoy was a master,” said Steel, who is an ambassador of the Jaguar Land Rover Academy of Sport programme.

“Chris was always the banker; he would always deliver the goods and that is a hard act to follow.

“Everyone is looking at Jason as the next Chris Hoy and that is what he needs to work on. He’s got the power and the speed, but he maybe needs to look at his tactics.

“I know he’s got the best backroom staff who will be working with him on that, but I think he will be okay.

“His confidence will have taken a knock as I say, but the Olympics are the Olympics and I am very confident he will come good.

“But I don’t think he can ever be expected to become that banker in the same way Chris Hoy was. Chris was always just so solid, and I think that pressure is what Jason is struggling with.

“If it’s not him then who is the next Chris Hoy? Jason is not Chris, Jason is Jason, and I think people need to back off him a little bit and the results will come.”

The next major challenge for Kenny comes back in familiar surroundings as he will return to the London 2012 Velodrome for March’s World Track Championships – the venue for his two of his three Olympic gold medals to date.

And Steel believes it is crucial Kenny lays a marker down ahead of the trip to Brazil.

“I think the World Championships will be a big step in terms of making a statement,” he added.

“You've got to put a flag in the sand and say to all your competitors, 'come and beat us' as we have done in the past.

“It will be too late in the day for any of the bigger teams to make changes now, so the opportunity is there to set a marker.

“I imagine there will be fast times from everybody and it could be a wake-up call for the rest of the world.”

Bryan Steel, Ambassador of the Jaguar Land Rover Academy of Sport, mentored a range of rising star athletes as they visited the Land Rover BAR team base for a unique experience. For more information, please visit sportsaid.org.uk.