Mark Cavendish has welcomed the return of the Madison to the Olympic Games – and has hinted at making a fourth attempt to win an Olympic gold medal.
The UCI has announced the Madison, which was part of the men’s Olympic schedule between 2000 and 2008, will be included in the 2020 Games in Tokyo, while BMC Freestyle Park has been introduced for the first time.
And Cavendish, a three-time world Madison champion, was ‘thrilled’ to hear about the two-person discipline’s return to the Olympic Games.
“I was thrilled to hear the news about the Madison being re-introduced in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” said Cavendish in a British Cycling press release. “The introduction of the Madison for women for the first time is brilliant news, showcasing cycling’s drive for parity across the sport.”
Cavendish won his first Madison world title with Rob Hayles in 2005 before repeating the feat in 2008 with Sir Bradley Wiggins. The duo subsequently went into the Beijing Olympic Games as favourites but faltered, finishing ninth.
The 32-year-old then finished 29th in the London 2012 Olympic road race, with Alexander Vinokourov claiming gold from the breakaway.
Cavendish teamed up with Wiggins once again to win a third Madison world title in 2016 before ending his wait for an Olympic medal in Rio last year, taking silver in the omnium behind Italy’s Elia Viviani.
And the Manxman has hinted on Twitter that he could be tempted to return to the track once again for Tokyo.
“Madison back in the Olympic Games in #Tokyo2020!! Guess I’m going to have to have another crack at it then…,” wrote Cavendish.
Madison back in the Olympic Games in #Tokyo2020!! Guess I’m going to have to have another crack at it then…????
— Mark Cavendish (@MarkCavendish) June 9, 2017
He then followed up with: “You up for it @GeraintThomas86? I’ll eat my words about you concentrating on the track. For old time’s sake.”
Cavendish’s 2017 season has been disrupted by glandular fever and the Manx Missile had not raced since March, before starting this week’s Tour of Slovenia. Cavendish finished tenth on the opening stage.
