Sir Bradley Wiggins focused on gold in Rio Olympics team pursuit
By Andy Charles
Last Updated: 26/06/16 11:19am
Sir Bradley Wiggins says anything less than a gold medal in Rio would be disappointing as he ponders further delaying his retirement.
Wiggins is bidding for a record-breaking eighth Olympic medal - he would pass former team-mate Sir Chris Hoy if claiming another - when he takes part in the team pursuit at his fifth Games.
The 36-year-old, who won gold in the event in Beijing eight years ago, was widely expected to call time on his career this summer but now says that decision is nothing like a formality.
Wiggins said: "For me Rio is about one colour and it's got to be golden. I'm not really concerned about silver and bronzes.
"Bronze will be enough to have more medals than anyone else, but with this group anything but gold will be a huge disappointment.
"The last 12 months have been my most enjoyable since 2009 and I have really stepped up my individual performance. I'm a better athlete than I was 16 or even eight years ago, and the way I feel at the moment I could go to Tokyo.
"I like to think I could go on another four years. The likelihood is I will wind down at the end of the year, but I like to give myself the option. I don't like the thought of saying it's going to be the end. I'm like Ryan Giggs at Manchester United - I've almost become part of the fabric of the building."
Wiggins is part of a five-man squad for the pursuit, one that has been rounded off by the inclusion of former Madison partner Mark Cavendish, who will also ride in the multi-discipline omnium event.
Cavendish will almost certainly fill the fifth rider role, meaning he could come in if one of the other quartet - Wiggins, Ed Clancy, Steven Burke and Owain Doull - needs a rest during the competition.
And Wiggins would not be averse to Cavendish, who is set to ride in next month's Tour de France for Team Dimension Data as well, being part of the team.
"I think Cav is more of a back-up if something happens, but he has been training specifically to prove he can do the job," added Wiggins.
"He's done that and they're now thinking they could use him in a semi-final ride and give someone a rest - that option has only really become possible in the last week or so.
"I think if he was purely doing team pursuit with a guarantee of riding in every race, he wouldn't do the Tour de France. But Mark's training for the omnium and recognising he needs to race a lot on the road and come into the Games with that road form."
