Teenager Shanaze Reade is eying a spot on the podium when she competes for Britain in the 500m time trial at the World Track Championship in Manchester tonight.

Watch all the action from Manchester LIVE on British Eurosport and also with LIVE streaming on eurosport.yahoo.co.uk.

The BMX specialist finished fifth at last year's worlds in Mallorca and then partnered Victoria Pendleton to gold in the team sprint, in only her second ever event as a track cyclist.

This is her first competition on the track since then, with only had five weeks of track training in the run-up, but she is confident of a repeating success.

"If I could replicate what I achieved last year I would be happy, but obviously I would like to go faster and maybe get a medal," she said in an interview to be broadcast on British Eurosport on Wednesday night.

"In the 500m time trial everybody comes together and has a chance so maybe I can come out and win a medal.

"In any event that I ever do, whether it be BMX or track, I always put in 110 percent, but I think me and Victoria probably have the best chance of gold in the team sprint on Thursday."

Reade is a double world champion, having won gold at last year's BMX World Championships, and she admitted her success at the track championships took her by surprise.

"Just before qualifying last year I felt sick, I just wanted to leave the building - I thought 'I can't do this,'" she said.

"I took some time away from it but even in the qualifiers I was so nervous - it was my second race, I'd only been riding the bike for eight weeks, and it was such a big event.

"I didn't sink in that I had won the worlds for about four months afterwards. Usually my BMX wins sink in straight away, but this was different."

Reade has a team of coaches to help her keep balance between track and BMX cycling and she will return to BMX training in Sheffield on Saturday.

"I class myself as a peddler," she explained.

"I'm somebody who likes to go fast on a bike, and I'm very happy doing both."

However, she admitted that she may not be able to compete in both events at the Olympics although she did not completely rule out the possibility.

"Never say never," she added.

"I've opened a few doors already but it might be out of the question this year because I haven't had the time to expand as a track cyclist."

Reade, who is still only 19, might be reasonably conservative when it comes to making predictions on her track performances but she is more bullish ahead of the BMX event in Beijing.

"Only gold will do," she said with a wry smile.

Watch the full interview as part of British Eurosport's coverage of the World Track Championships which start at 19.15 GMT this evening.

Follow comprehensive World Track Cycling Championship coverage live on Eurosport TV and uk.eurosport.yahoo.com! Eurosport is available on Sky 410 and Virgin Media 521; Eurosport 2 is available on Sky 411 and Virgin Media 525

Article Seán Fay/Interview Emma Davies / Eurosport