Bradley Wiggins says only a gold medal will justify his return to his track cycling roots at the Rio Olympics, declaring the men’s team pursuit title is Britain’s to lose.
The 36-year-old will become his country’s most decorated Olympian ahead of fellow cyclist Chris Hoy with a medal of any colour in the team pursuit in Rio’s velodrome which would take his career haul to eight.
But Wiggins, who has four golds, a silver and two bronzes from the last four Games, wants to end his glittering 16-year Olympic career on the top step of the podium.
“Anything less than a gold will be a huge disappointment the way we’re going at the moment,” Wiggins told British Cycling yesterday from the team’s training base.
“Something will have to go seriously wrong for us to lose and if that’s the case whether it’s someone struck down with illness or we have a crash or mishap, then it will be a huge disappointment.”
Wiggins began his Olympic medal collection in Sydney with a bronze in the team pursuit.
He won gold in the event in Beijing alongside Ed Clancy, Paul Manning and Geraint Thomas.
Clancy will again be a team mate when the team pursuit begins on Aug. 11 having recovered full fitness after a spate of back problems.
Wiggins cemented his selection in March when he helped Britain to team pursuit silver behind Australia at the world championships in London before winning the Madison alongside fellow track returnee Mark Cavendish.
He fully expects Britain to turn the tables on Australia, who along with New Zealand, will be the main threat.
“I’m still adamant that the speeds we were riding on the track, it was always ours to lose at the worlds,” he said.
“And we were understrength there with Ed and his problems so in the circumstances it was a fantastic result. With Ed back to full fitness I think it’s ours to lose again if you like.”
The British quartet, also including Steven Burke and Owain Doull, is in superb form having set an unofficial world record of three mins 51.659 seconds for the 4km event in training.
Sprint king Hoy, who has six Olympic golds, believes the return of Wiggins has been the key factor.
“You cannot overstate what his contribution will be,” said Hoy, who will be commentating for the BBC in Rio.
“But there was no automatic selection for him. He had to earn his place and produce the times.
“He has the experience, the calmness, the engine and the horsepower when it matters in the final.”