Shane Sutton has expressed his concerns over whether Sir Bradley Wiggins, who yesterday evening smashed the UCI Hour Record in London, has the hunger to continue pushing himself to gain a place in the team pursuit squad at next year’s Olympic Games in Rio.

Wiggins has long said that he wants to target a fifth Olympic gold medal in Brazil next year, in the event in which he won a gold medal at Beijing in 2008. He retained his individual pursuit title at those Games, and three years ago won the time trial in London.

In April, Wiggins left Team Sky to join his own development team, which is built around riders with ambitions for a spot on the team pursuit squad in Rio, the notable exception being JLT-Condor’s Ed Clancy, seeking a third successive Olympic team pursuit gold.

But British Cycling technical director Sutton, who has worked closely with the 2012 Tour de France winner throughout his career – Wiggins has described him as a father figure – has questioned whether the 35-year-old is willing to continue to make sacrifices in pursuit of a fifth gold medal.

Speaking to Sky Sports HQ at the Lee Valley VeloPark last night, Sutton said: "He's got a great coach in Heiko Salzwedel with him, and Tim Kerrison and the whole team have done a great job getting him to here, but can we get him to Rio now?

"That's the big question and it's one that we will sit down and discuss. Brad, as everyone knows, is a real family man and it was great to see his family there yesterday supporting him.

"I'm not sure whether he will be able to sit down and think, 'Is it what I really want or I just want to put myself through it because I have said I am going to do it?'

"We've got to find out where his desire is for Rio right now. For us, as a team, and a nation we all want him there so hopefully we can convince him to carry on."

But Wiggins, who established a new record yesterday of 54.526km, roared on by a capacity crowd that evoked memories of London 2012 when Team GB dominated the track events, insists he is now looking ahead to the next track season with a view to booking himself a place in Rio.

"This is my end of the season now and I’ll start building again for the track programme through to the European championships and the track winter programme to the worlds in March,” he said after his record-breaking ride.

Wiggins has seven Olympic medals in total, and is second only to Sir Chris Hoy in terms of gold medals won by a British athlete, the track sprinter taking his tally to six at London 2012.

Last year, after taking over the reins of the national team from Sir Dave Brailsford, Sutton said it would be “a big ask” for Wiggins to make the individual pursuit squad.

“The bar needs to be raised,” he said. “Whether Brad can raise the bar, that is the challenge he has set himself. Only Brad can answer that question.”

If that statement was accompanied by the sound of a gauntlet being thrown down, Wiggins – who insists that had conditions been better, he could have ridden another 700 metres – picked it up and last night proved not for the first time that when he is fully focused on a goal, he is more than capable of achieving it.