Olympics Rio 2016 - Mark Cavendish: Silver is nice, but I wanted gold to complete collection

Having missed out in 2008 on the track and in 2012 on the road, the 31-year-old was unable to overall Elia Viviani (Italy) for the gold but did enough to hold off London gold medallist Lasse Norman Hansen for silver by two points.

"I'm happy. I've got my Olympic medal. It's really nice," said Cavendish.

Cavendish finished the six-event omnium, which culminated with the points race, on 194 points with Viviani out in front on 206 points.

"I'm happy. Elia was the best guy there. If you take the points I lost in the elimination I would've been right with him," added Cavendish.

Cavendish has three Madison World titles on his palmares and a Commonwealth Games gold medal in the scratch race from 2006. His main objective of the 2016 season was a gold medal in the omnium and explained that it was bittersweet to come so close to achieving his ambition.

"I have got my Olympic medal. It is really nice, but gold would've finished the collection. I did a pursuit yesterday and was unhappy I didn't break the Olympic record, that's just me," he said.

"People are forgetting the team we have got behind us. It is incredible how they have worked. Without those guys I wouldn't be here."

Cavendish's silver medal was Great Britain's eighth of the Rio Olympics with one day of racing to come on the track.

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