Mark Cavendish stepping up bid to race on track at Olympic Games

Mark Cavendish has revealed he is so set on racing on the track at next year’s Olympic Games that he is considering renting a flat near to the Manchester Velodrome.

The 30-year-old Manxman signed a three-year contract with road team Dimension Data on Tuesday, but as part of the deal he will be allowed to train on the boards in between races in order to further his chances of being selected for Great Britain's squad in Rio.

Cavendish has won 26 stages of the Tour de France and a world title on the road, but he has not yet claimed an Olympic medal and will most likely look to fill that void in the six-event omnium.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Telegraph, Cavendish said: "To be fair, it has got to the point that even if it's in synchronised swimming, an Olympic medal is the only thing I'm missing. I'm 30 years old. I want these challenges. The last few years I've been doing the same stuff.

"I need to look at how many days I will be up there [training in Manchester, where British Cycling are based], but it will be a lot. It might be worth renting to be honest. Nicer than staying in hotels all the time."

Being selected for Britain's squad for Rio will be far from straightforward for Cavendish, not least because Ed Clancy is also keen to ride the omnium, having won bronze at the 2012 Olympics in London.

The discipline has been changed since then, however, with a new order of events and points system favouring sprinters such as Cavendish over pursuiters such as Clancy.

Cavendish added: "Look, if it was the old omnium, as it was at the last Olympics, Ed would be going, 100 per cent. The reason I'm even going for Rio is because of the points race. It really suits me.

"Me and Ed speak all the time. I've been straight with him and he has been straight with me. I don't want to get the ride because of my history in cycling or who I am or whatever. I don't want any favours. I want to get it because I am the best man for the job."