British Cycling endurance coach Heiko Salzwedel has said that Mark Cavendish is completely committed to racing on the track in the omnium at the Rio 2016 Olympics, saying that he has “unfinished business” after being the sole British rider not to win a medal on the boards in Beijing seven years ago.
Cavendish will line up alongside Bradley Wiggins in the Revolution Series event in Derby this weekend in a bid to score qualifying points for the winter’s Track World Cup events, the first step towards earning a berth in Brazil next year.
“I was very surprised and very proud when we met and discovered how determined he is,” Salzwedel told The Telegraph.
"He has some unfinished business back from 2008 in his mind. He really wants to go to Rio with the track team and wants to go 100 per cent focused on the omnium. He doesn't come in saying 'we'll see how it goes,' it's clear in his mind, his focus and priorities. The Olympics is where Mark wants to be in 12 months’ time.”
The weekend’s event provides a useful dress rehearsal for Cavendish’s preparations – “the timing between the Tour de France and Olympic Games next year and this year's Tour and Revolution Series are exactly the same,” Salzwedal pointed out – though Ed Clancy apparently remains the favourite to take Great Britain’s slot in in the omnium in Rio.
“I cannot really comment on Cavendish right now, I can only speculate which is not my area,” Salzwedal said.
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