Mark Cavendish says nothing less than Olympic gold will do in Rio
By Charlotte Bates
Last Updated: 09/08/16 7:04pm
Mark Cavendish says gold is the only medal he is targeting at the Rio Olympic Games.
Cavendish, who left the Tour de France early in order to begin his preparations for the Games, will compete in the omnium on Sunday and Monday.
The sprinter is determined to land the top medal at Rio after leaving the 2008 and 2012 Games in Beijing and London empty-handed.
He was the only British track athlete to return from China without a medal, finishing ninth in the Madison after being paired with Bradley Wiggins.
In London, the road race team was set up to support him, but he could only finish 29th.
Cavendish told Sky Sports News HQ: "I've won Europeans, worlds, Commonwealths - everything you can do with a British jersey. It's just the Olympics which I haven't done yet.
"I'm aiming for gold and everything has been built around winning the Olympics.
"I'm not going in to try and get a bronze medal. I'm going to try and get a gold medal. If it happens, it happens; if it doesn't, it doesn't. But gold is definitely the aim."
As well as his 30 stage victories at the Tour de France, Cavendish won gold in the Madison at the 2005 and 2008 World Championships riding for Great Britain and won his third world title in the event with Wiggins this year.
He added: "I truly believe that in Beijing I was the strongest rider on the track. In London we were the strongest team in the race, but extraordinary factors meant that I didn't get the medals when I had done everything right leading up to them. It's either third time lucky [in Rio] or it's not meant to be.
"As a British athlete, it's a big thing. I'm proud to be British and I'm proud to represent the flag I was born under.
"Every time I put on my jersey to represent my country it's a big thing for me and the Olympics is the biggest thing you can do. I want to go represent my country at the highest level and win ultimately."
