Rio 2016: Mark Cavendish second in Omnium with one event left

Mark Cavendish is in the silver medal position in the men’s omnium at Rio with just one event, the points race, to come.

Seeking his first Olympic medal after disappointment on the track in Beijing and the road at London 2012, the 31-year-old was in third position overnight.

The two riders ahead of him this morning were Italy’s Elia Viviani, who took the lead after last night’s final event, the elimination race – and Thomas Boudat of France.

Viviani went quicker than both Cavendish and Boudat in both the kilo time trial and the 250 metre flying lap to extend his lead.

But crucially, the British rider also went better than the Frenchman in both, his sixth place pulling him level with Boudat, but in third place on countback, but moving into second place after fnishing third in the flying lap.

A change in the order of events compared to London 2012 and change in the scoring format means there is all to ride for in the final event, which starts at 9.23pm UK time.

Viviani, on 178 points, leads Cavendish, who has 162, by 16 points with Danish defending champion Lasse Hansen – winner of the first two events yesterday but disastrously for him, the first man out of the elimination race – a further 10 points back on 152.

Dylan Kannett of New Zealand, who posted the fastest times in each of the two events raced today, is in fourth on 150 points as is Boudat, who drops to fifth.

Meanwhile, the woman’s omnium, in which Laura Trott defends the title she won at London 2012 on its Olympic debut, has started today.

In the opening event, the points race, the British rider won the sprint to take second place behind Tatsiana Sharakova of Belarus who had attacked earlier, with the woman many expect to be Trott’s biggest rival for gold, Sarah Hammer of the United States, fourth.

In the women’s individual sprint, Becky James and Katy Marchant are both safely through to tomorrow’s quarter finals, with the medals being decided later in the day.

With James setting a new Olympic record in qualifying yesterday and Marchant second fastest, they are kept apart in the draw meaning there’s a prospect of another all-Team GB final as there was in the men’s event yesterday when Jason Kenny beat Callum Skinner.