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RIO SWEAT

Mark Cavendish DOES still face a sweat over his Rio Olympic place after Jon Dibben surgery

Mark Cavendish in action for Great Britain at the Track World Championships in March

MARK CAVENDISH still faces a sweat over his bid to ride on the track at the Rio Olympics.

Claims emerged today that the Manx Missile is a shoo-in for Brazil after omnium rival Jon Dibben fractured his elbow last weekend.

 Mark Cavendish in action for Great Britain at the Track World Championships in March
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Mark Cavendish in action for Great Britain at the Track World Championships in March

But those were denied by British Cycling, who say Dibben is NOT out of contention for Rio as the pair battle for a single omnium place.

Dibben, 22, goes in for surgery on his elbow today in Manchester after he crashed during a race in Holland.

The youngster won his first world gold in the points race in the London World Championships last month.

Cavendish finished sixth in the omnium before winning madison gold with Bradley Wiggins.

 Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish won world madison gold in London
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Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish won world madison gold in London

Head coach Shane Sutton is set to reveal the Team GB squad for Rio in June — admitting after the World Championships last month that Cavendish still had work to do.

One complication is that the man who rides the omnium will also be fifth man in Wiggins’ team pursuit quartet — and the younger rider is more proven in that discipline.

But coaches have been impressed with Cavendish’s attitude and training results since London, as the 30-year-old combines road racing for his commercial team with track training at the Manchester Velodrome.

 Jon Dibben won points race gold in the London World Championships
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Jon Dibben won points race gold in the London World Championships

Cavendish is currently racing at the Tour of Croatia — and has been promised at least a tilt at the first week of the Tour de France.

Best estimates on Southampton rider Dibben suggest he can be back on a bike next week, depending on how surgery goes.

A source said: “Cav is still in contention for a Rio place, the fact that he has been training here is significant in itself.”

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