IT TOOK three attempts over eight years but Mark Cavendish finally has an Olympic medal after winning Omnium silver at Rio 2016.

Cavendish sits second on the all-time list of Tour de France stage wins, has been a world champion on the road and track and has won the points classification in all three grand tours.

But the ‘Manx Missile’ has made no attempt to hide the fact that his CV felt incomplete without an Olympic success on it, and just 29 days ago left the 2016 Tour de France to prepare for Rio.

And that decision was justified on Monday with Cavendish taking Omnium silver, finishing 13 points behind Italian champion Elia Viviani.

It might not have been the gold Cavendish and his immense will to win craved, but the 31-year-old admitted he could have few complaints.

“At the end of the day I did everything I could to prepare for the race and everything I could in the race and ultimately I couldn’t have done anymore,” he said.

“I have to be happy. Elia was the better over the six disciplines and ultimately deserved gold.

“Obviously I am disappointed not to win but I did all I could and the guys behind me did all I could.

“I made every day count and on another day I might have been closer to gold, but I have to be happy.

“The thing about the Omnium is you have to be consistent and Elia was consistent across all six disciplines.

“Normally elimination is my strongest event and the pursuit is my weakest but I was second in that so it is swings and roundabouts really.”

Following the opening day Cavendish sat third after three events, a mistake in the elimination race that saw him cycle out of bounds perhaps costing him in the end.

He stayed third after finishing sixth in the time trial, before following that up with third in flying lap to move into second and set up a thrilling points race.

And the finale didn’t disappoint with a crash – which Cavendish admitted was his fault – and the Brit being heavily watched to see if he would make a move to try and gain a lap, and with it 20 crucial points.

But in the end Cavendish did enough to hold on to silver with Dane Lasse Norman Hansen ending up with bronze just two points further back.

And while the gold medal proved elusive again it was not for the want of trying.

“I realised I was a marked man from pretty early on,” Cavendish added. “I kept trying to go but it was difficult.

“I am always going to be a marked man and I decided about halfway that no one was going to let me get a lap so I was trying to get the sprints.

“I felt incredible. I could see people dying and I felt better and better.”

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