BEIJING, Aug 17, 2008 (AFP) – Former two-time Olympic champion Ryan Bayley of Australia prepared to leave the Beijing Games here Sunday with a huge question mark hanging over his future in the sport.

Bayley came in as the reigning champion in track cycling’s tough speed events of the sprint and keirin but failed to make the quarter-finals finals of either competition.

Although admitting in the days prior to the Games his form had been “up and down”, Bayley’s latest setback – following disappointing displays at the last two world championships – does not bode well for his future.

Admitting he would like to go on until the next Olympics, the London Games could not look further away for the 26-year-old, who admitted he said he will likely take at least a year out of the sport.

“I am not sure if I want to continue or if I want to do something else,”

said the 26-year-old, who in recent years has been eclipsed by the man he beat in Athens, Theo Bos, and more recently Scotland’s Chris Hoy.

“It’s difficult when you have done everything there is to do. It’s hard sometimes to get yourself up for events. But then again I don’t want to leave on such a crappy note, so who knows.

“I need to go back and remember why I enjoyed bike riding in the first place, have some fun with it and be one of the boys.”

Australia’s head coach, Martin Barras, said the door would remain open for Bayley but admitted he had to make up his mind.

“Coming here as the double defending champion … that’s a bit disappointing, but I’m not necessarily surprised,” Barras told Bicycle.net.

“I’m not sure what his plans are. It’s finished for him here now. He’s going to take a break, but where he goes from there I don’t know.”