Cavendish continues Olympic qualification bid at Dudenhofen GP

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Mark Cavendish will continue his hunt for UCI ranking points on the track as he travels to Germany for the Dudenhofen GP at the end of this month. Cavendish is one of 11 riders named for the two-day event, which takes place between 28-29 August. Other big names heading to the event are Laura Trott and Becky James.

"We’re now less than a month away from the World Cup Eligibility Ranking closing and with that in mind we’ve selected a strong team to travel to Germany," British Cycling’s coach co-ordinator Iain Dyer said. "Mark Cavendish made a very promising start back on the track in Derby and he’ll be looking to continue building on that form and gain more points for his ranking."

Cavendish has set his sights on a spot on the track team at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and he made a successful return to the boards this weekend, finishing second to Ed Clancy in the Omnium and winning the Madison with his partner Bradley Wiggins – which is no longer an Olympic event. To qualify for the Olympics, he must take part in the World Cup and World Championships.

The opening round of the World Cup takes place in Cali, Colombia on October 30. To race there, Cavendish must earn at least 90 points at UCI-ranked events in the specific discipline. Cavendish got himself off to a flying start with 72 points for his second place in the Omnium. A good performance in Germany should see him earn qualification without any problems. For the Manxman to qualify for the Olympics, he must add another 10 points to his tally between the three rounds of the World Cup and the World Championships next March. There is also the final hurdle of selection, with Clancy still the favourite for the spot.

Cavendish’s road programme appears to have taken a back seat for now, something he’ll have to consider next season also. The timing of the event means that he will be available to race at the Tour of Britain in the second week of September, which he has done every year since 2011.

Great Britain squad for Dudenhofen GP: Katie Archibald, Mark Cavendish, Matt Crampton, Jon Dibben, Becky James, Danni Khan, Manon Lloyd, Katy Marchant, Callum Skinner, Laura Trott and Ollie Wood.