Mark Cavendish ‘leaving door open’ to ride Olympic road race

Mark Cavendish says he has yet to decide whether to focus on the track or the road race at next year's Olympics – although the former seems far more likely.

Speaking to the BBC, Cavendish said he would consider anything if it meant getting to Rio next summer. "It's the Olympic Games. If I could leave the door open in archery, I'd do that, but I'm not very good at archery."

Cavendish – who recently moved to what is currently MTN-Qhubeka and will soon become Team Dimension Data – has gained the points necessary to ride at Track World Cup events this autumn and now needs to finish just 24th or higher in one such event to qualify for Rio.

However, it will then be up to the selectors and being as two-time Olympic team pursuit gold medallist Ed Clancy won bronze in the omnium in 2012 and plans to ride again, Cavendish’s inclusion is, as he puts it himself, ‘no formality’.

• Mark Cavendish on training for Rio and how track speed might help his cause on the road

After missing out in the Madison in partnership with Bradley Wiggins in 2008, Cavendish also found himself marked out of the road race in 2012. It’s therefore understandable that an Olympic medal remains high on his list of career goals, “even if it’s in synchronised swimming.”

"I'm proud to be British and the biggest thing you can do to represent your country is the Olympic Games," he said.

The Olympic road race route features four laps of a circuit including one climb that averages 7% over 1.2km and another that averages 4.5% over 2.1km – plus a 2km stretch of cobbles. This is perhaps why Cavendish believes he has a better chance of riding the track than the road.

"But if I leave the door open to ride the road race, the option's always there," he said.