Jason Kenny and Sir Chris Hoy rekindle old partnership at European Masters

Kenny matched Hoy's British record Olympic haul with three gold medals in Rio in August and married Laura Trott a month later.

Kenny and Hoy share the same March 23 birthday - the Scot is 12 years Kenny's senior - and a passion for motorsport.

In October they swapped two wheels for four to race in a Radical Spyder at the European Masters in Jerez, Spain.

The pair used to room together when team-mates with Great Britain and there was a pause at the hotel check-in ahead of the weekend competition.

Asked whether they were required to room together once again, the 28-year-old Kenny told Press Association Sport: "No, we didn't. I did wonder that when we were checking in at the hotel. It was a bit like the old days, checking in as a team.

"I think Chris has outgrown that. He's a dad, so he needs to get all the sleep he can."

Kenny is one of a number of British cycling riders and coaches who are petrol heads, but with Hoy having raced the Le Mans 24 hours earlier this year, the Lancastrian was apprehensive ahead of a race in a new car on a new circuit.

"I was a bit nervous, just about my pace," Kenny added.

"I knew Chris was going to be good - he's had quite a journey the last four years with Le Mans."

But it came together.

He added: "It was good being back with Chris. We got a podium in a couple of races and being on the podium again together....last time we did that was in the London Olympics."

It was at the London 2012 Olympics that Kenny and Laura Trott's romance became public when the pair - double gold medallists at the home Games - were pictured kissing at the beach volleyball after their competition had concluded. Now they are the Kennys.

The relationship had an inauspicious start.

"The first time we met, I apparently ignored her - I didn't even realise we'd met, but Laura remembers this incident," Kenny added.

"Apparently I didn't say 'hello' to her. I didn't make a good first impression.

"She'd never mentioned it before, but now the book's out it's come out to haunt me."

The couple's joint autobiography has given them the opportunity to reflect on their extraordinary achievements and 10 Olympic gold medals to date.

A time to pause also came following their wedding, when they rented a campervan for a honeymoon touring the south of France and Italy with their dogs, Pringle and Sprolo.

"We went walking with the dogs and were able to be a bit boring," Kenny added.

"It makes you appreciate the moments you get when you can go out and you're on the hillside somewhere with the dogs."

They took their bikes, but scarcely used them.

Kenny added: "We took them with the intention that we can ride them if it's a nice day. If it's raining we're not going training.

"I used them to go to the shops and that was it. They just sat on the back of the van."

He has since resumed unstructured training and is still to determine his return date. He could still choose to defend the world sprint title in Hong Kong in April.

"I'm back in the gym and I'm training a little bit, just to keep fit and give me the option," Kenny said.

"I'm just going to see how it goes and see how it feels. At the minute it's not a target, but that could change."

It is the same for his wife, Laura Kenny, who is racing at the Revolution Series in London on December 2 and 3, but is uncertain if she will compete in the 2017 Track World Championships.

The 24-year-old said: "I might be in a couple of track races in December to get me back in focus and back in training. We'll have to wait and see about Hong Kong - too early to call."

:: Laura Trott and Jason Kenny: The Inside Track is out now in hardback, £20 (Michael O'Mara Books).