Mark Cavendish may return to track racing for the 2016 Games in Rio. The British rider has competed in two consecutive Games but has missed out on a medal on both occasions. Maybe in four years time, he will be ready to win a medal.

But to do so, he may need to sideline his road ambitions. Yesterday, the British team won gold and set a world record in the team pursuit. Now he wants to be part of it too.

"After seeing it last night, absolutely," Cavendish said.

"Training is hard. It's monotonous but that's what you've got to do in most sports to get Olympic gold. I watched the guys and saw the camaraderie between them. They live together, they've grown as a unit and I looked last night and I thought I want to be part of it again. I've been texting with the boys, I've been speaking with the coaches this morning and I wouldn't say it's past us to return to the track, maybe in 2016."

The road race course in Rio de Janeiro is not expected to be sprinter-friendly, and he may not get many more chances of winning an Olympic medal.

"We'll have to see, the road race doesn't suit me in 2016 anyway. It's not going to be a flat race around Rio. I'd love an Olympic gold and I'd love to share that with guys I've grown up with. So I'd really like to push for a spot in 2016 on the track."

s an endurance athlete Cavendish would have the option of aiming at either team pursuit or the omnium. However it's the pursuit that appears to be Cavendish's first preference, although he is well aware that any chance of selection would rest on him dedicating his training to specific track requirements.

"I'd like to be part of the team, part of the team pursuit. I thrive working with others people, gaining trust and working towards something like that."

Great Britain team pursuit coach Dan Hunt told Cyclingnews that Cavendish will have to work hard on the velodrome, and do less job on the road if he wants to be part of the team.

"He's always welcome. I think that Cav might be interested in riding a world championships, maybe he wants to do to it for Rio, but again team pursuit is a specialist event and it requires a commitment and one that takes you away from the road for a certain amount of time. If anybody is prepared to make that commitment, any British rider, then I would be prepared to say yes and to run them through to Rio."