Rio 2016: Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and Laura Trott among stars names in the Great Britain track cycling squad
MARK CAVENDISH will get his long-awaited gold medal shot after being named in Great Britain's track cycling team for Rio.
Sir Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, Laura Trott and Lizzie Armitstead will also lead the 26-strong squad.
Cav and Trott will ride in the multi-discipline omnium event, with double London 2012 champ Trott also in the women's team pursuit.
The Manx Missile missed out on a road race medal in the last Oylmpics and in the Madison in Beijing eight years ago when partnering Wiggins.
Olympic road time trial champion Wiggins, 35, returns to his track roots in a bid for an eighth Olympic medal and fifth gold and he will be a key part of the team pursuit squad.
CAV'S RIO DREAM
MARK CAVENDISH believes he can finish the Tour de France - and still go for Olympic gold.
The Manx Missile, 31, was named in Team GB’s 26-strong cycling team for Rio, where he will ride in the omnium, as well as providing back-up to the team pursuit quartet.
But Cavendish still plans to go all the way to Paris in next month’s Tour - before looking to end his long-awaited search for a first Olympic medal three weeks later.
Cav, who rides for Team Dimension Data, said: “Obviously Olympic gold is one thing that I have tried for twice, and it has eluded me, so I would like to do it.
“I am proudly patriotic and I love every time I get to pull on the Great Britain jersey to represent my country.
“But I aim to go to Paris. We will take every day as it comes but I don’t have a plan to stop the Tour de France.”
Sir Bradley Wiggins, 36, is also in the squad as he goes in the hunt for a record eighth Olympic medal.
Laura Trott is the star female name - and she believes GB can cope without technical director Shane Sutton, who quit in April after being accused of sexism and discrimination.
Trott, 24 said: “We will miss him. He was a great motivator and was great to have at the side of the track.
“But it is not just one person running the thing and nothing has changed for us day-to-day.”
Chris Froome, favourite for a third Tour de France yellow jersey next month, will spearhead Britain's road challenge.
World road champion Lizzie Armitstead leads the women's squad with Beijing 2008 time trial silver medallist Emma Pooley.
Britain dominated the London 2012 cycling events, winning nine medals, including seven golds, on the track and three on the road including Wiggins' time trial victory just a few weeks after he had won the Tour de France.
Preparations were rocked this year, however, when team chief Shane Sutton resigned following allegations of sexism and discriminatory remarks about Paralympic cyclists.
An investigation is ongoing.