Men’s team pursuit

Who are they? Sir Bradley Wiggins, Ed Clancy, Steven Burke, Owain Doull, (reserve – Mark Cavendish)

London 2012 result: Clancy and Burke joined Geraint Thomas and Peter Kennaugh to win the gold medal in world record time.

 

How are they shaping up? Silver medalists at their most recent event, the London 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, the Brits have reportedly taken it up several notches in training since then. If the stories emanating from British Cycling are to be believed, that four-year-old world record is in danger.

Main rivals: Australia took silver behind the Brits in London four years ago, and claimed gold at this year’s World Championships at the Brits’ expense – having earlier beaten England to gold at the Commonwealth Games. New Zealand and Denmark have also claimed World Championship medals in the interim.

RCUK prediction: Speaking about the men’s coxless four rowing team, Sir Steve Redgrave said success breeds success and the same could be said of the men’s team pursuit quartet. Winners in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012, this is a team that knows how to step it up in an Olympic year. GOLD

Did you know? Sir Bradley Wiggins will become the first Brit to ever win eight Olympic medals should the team pursuit squad finish in the top three in Rio. Ed Clancy could become the first cyclist to ever win three back-to-back Olympic team pursuit gold medals.

Men’s omnium

Who are they? Mark Cavendish

London 2012 result: Ed Clancy rode the men’s omnium at London 2012, winning bronze.

 

How are they shaping up? Cavendish has made a late switch back to the track in his bid to win his first ever Olympic medal. He finished sixth in the omnium at the World Championships but did win Madison gold. He goes into the Olympics on the back of four Tour de France stage wins and a day in the yellow jersey – the latter was his first big target for the year, with the Olympics and road worlds to follow.

Main rivals: Former Etixx-QuickStep team-mate Fernando Gaviria won gold for the second time at this year’s World Championships, finishing level on points with Germany’s Roger Kluge and Australia’s Glenn O’Shea. Team Sky rider Elia Viviani is another man to watch – the Italian was outsprinted by Cav on the final omnium lap in London, which meant Viviani finished one point off the podium.

Prediction: Given his track form since he first announced his bid to ride the omnium at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Cavendish should only be considered an outsider for a medal. But he proved at the Tour de France just how good a rider he still is, and what he can achieve when he puts his mind to something. He’ll win a medal, because he said he’ll win a medal. BRONZE

Did you know? Mark Cavendish was the only British track cyclist not to win an Olympic medal in Beijing. Despite no shortage of success through a glittering career, it is still the one glaring omission from his palmares.

Women’s omnium

Who are they? Laura Trott

London 2012 result: Then just 20 years old, Trott won gold in London – her second of the Games after the team pursuit – and propelled herself into the national limelight.

 

How are they shaping up? Britain’s queen of the track has made big strides forward when it comes to her bunch racing prowess and returned to the scene of her Olympic success earlier this year to win World Championship gold.

Main rivals: Trott’s chief rivals in London – American Sarah Hammer and Australia’s Annette Edmondson – remain her chief rivals in Rio. France’s 24-year-old rising star Laurie Berthon has also emerged as a contender this year, following up some strong World Cup showings with a silver medal at the worlds.

Prediction: Laura Trott’s gold medal win at the London 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships has only heightened optimism around her chances in Rio. GOLD

Women’s team sprint

Who are they? N/A – Great Britain failed to qualify a team for the Rio Olympic Games

London 2012 result: Jess Varnish and Victoria Pendleton broke the world record in qualifying – before China broke it just minutes later – but were disqualified in the first round after an early exchange. The time would have been quick enough to qualify for the gold medal final, but it proved to be the only one of the ten disciplines Britain didn’t medal in.

Gold medal contenders: Germany’s 2012 gold medal winners, Kristina Vogel and Miriam Welte, are always contenders in the team sprint, while Russia beat world record holders China to gold at this year’s World Championships.

Men’s sprint

Who are they? Jason Kenny, Callum Skinner

London 2012 result: Kenny won gold in London to add to the team sprint triumph – the third Olympic title of his career.

 

How are they shaping up? After a few lean years for the British sprinting team in the wake of Sir Chris Hoy’s retirement, Kenny has returned to the fore – finding form in perfect time for the build-up to the Rio by winning World Championship gold in London. Skinner qualified fifth fastest in London, but eventually finished eighth after a quarter-final defeat to Denis Dmitriev.

Main rivals: Kenny beat Australia’s Matthew Glaetzer to gold in London, while Skinner’s conqueror Denis Dmitriev ultimately went on to win bronze. Dmitriev has medalled at the last four World Championships, while French duo Gregory Bauge and Francois Pervis won gold in 2015 and 2014 respectively.

Prediction: Kenny looks to have found form at the perfect time as he bids to add to his three Olympic medals. Gold in London has raised hopes, but there are plenty of riders who could usurp him in Rio. Skinner’s form has been good too, but it’s Kenny who carries Britain’s medal hopes. SILVER

Women’s sprint

Who are they? Katy Marchant, Becky James

London 2012 result: Neither were involved at London 2012, where it was Victoria Pendleton who won silver – beaten by Australian legend Anna Meares in the final.

 

How are they shaping up? It hasn’t been a great few years for Britain’s female sprinters. A long-standing knee injury and a cancer scare meant 2013 world champion Becky James only returned to action last year, while Katy Marchant has been selected at the expense of team sprint team-mate Jess Varnish, whose omission proved controversial. Vicky Williamson was another rider in contention until a bad crash at a Six Day race left her hospitalised with a broken pelvis and vertebrae. James’ return to fitness has been a massive boost, however.

Main rivals: China’s Zhong Tianshi is the world champion and also medalled in 2014 and 2015. Kristina Vogel is another serious contender, with both the German and Tianshi having also won World Cup rounds last season. Australia’s Stephanie Morton set the fastest qualifying time in London at the worlds, meanwhile, to show her potential.

Prediction: James return to fitness is a huge boost for the Brits, but the 2013 world champion’s best medal hopes appear to be in the keirin. Whether Varnish could have done more will never be known, though recent form suggests not. Marchant qualified faster than Varnish at the worlds, but finished well down the pecking order. James should go further, but a medal may be a bridge too far. FOURTH

Women’s keirin

Who are they? Becky James

London 2012 result: Victoria Pendleton won an emotional gold medal for Great Britain, before announcing her retirement.

 

How are they shaping up? Welsh ace Becky James won two gold medals at the 2013 World Championships to emerge as Pendleton’s heir apparent but life threw her a bad hand thereafter. A persistent knee injury and a cancer scare brought a temporary halt to her burgeoning career, but she returned with a bang at this year’s World Championships and won keirin bronze.

Main rivals: Germany’s world champion Kristina Vogel has been unstoppable on her day, while Australia’s Anna Meares was her country’s flag bearer for the Rio opening ceremony – a clear pointer to the reverence with which she is held in her home country.

Prediction: James has put a turbulent couple of years behind her to re-emerge as a serious medal hope for Great Britain at the Olympics. She should reach the final, and we’ll back her to win a medal too. SILVER

RCUK’s predicted British medal haul

Three gold medals (men’s team pursuit, women’s team pursuit, women’s omnium), two silver (men’s sprint, women’s keirin), one bronze (men’s omnium)