Rio 2016 Olympics: British cyclists test new superbike they hope will propel Team GB to Olympic gold in Brazil as Mark Cavendish takes new Cervelo for a spin

MARK CAVENDISH was lucky enough to be the first Brit to test out British Cycling’s latest machine they hope will bring them success at the Rio 2016 Olympics: a new superbike.

The Manx Missile got to try the new wheels that Team GB hope will propel the riders to greatness in Brazil when the Games start on August 5.

Cycling’s arms war has long been part of British Cycling’s race to win by conquering their famous ‘marginal gains’ mantra.

And this latest bike is no different, cultivating an aerodynamic design with the famous white, red and blue of the Union Flag.

The Cervelo T5GB will retail after the Games are over – so you can buy one.

The price is not even known yet, but given the frame alone – with no saddle, wheels, pedals or handlebars – retails at £2,400, it is likely to be pretty steep.

This late addition to the armoury comes after a year’s research and development from the Canadian manufacturer.

The UK’s national cycling body and Brit road team Team Sky had used bikes from Italian manufacturer Pinarello.

But in May last year British Cycling switched to Cervelo, preferring their ability to experiment with new ideas and work with Manchester Velodrome on BC’s specific demands, as well as the Research and Innovation team at the English Institute for Sport.

Word from Manchester Velodrome over the last few months have suggested they are excited with this latest bike and have kept the plans top secret, hoping that the frame will help them overhaul the Australians, Americans and Kiwis in the men’s and women’s team pursuit.

Team GB broke world records at the London 2012 Games with the lads and ladies smashing world records in the team pursuit as they clinched a stunning SEVEN track golds.

At the time Dave Brailsford even quipped to the French press that the secret to Team GB’s magical success was down to ’rounder wheels.’

But since then Brailsford has left, Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton haver retired and the gap has closed. Britain have rarely looked like the utterly dominant squad that took to the track in Stratford four summers ago, looking vulnerable at times as their rivals appear to have caught up.

And with the Shane Sutton debacle rocking BC after allegations of making sexist and discriminatory comments against Paralympians, the most successful organisation in British sport is desperate to rediscover its mojo.

British Cycling are trying every which way to stay ahead of the competition and have set up a top secret system of research, analysis and number crunching at their HQ in the shadow of Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium.

Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins, Jon Dibben and Andy Tennant hang out at Manchester Velodrome after testing out the new bike

Cavendish, 31, has been hoping to combine a road season, riding the first week of this year’s Tour de France, with the track at the Rio 2016 Games.

The sprinter wants to ride the six-event omnium at the Olympics and has to convince selectors that he is the man for the job to beat rivals Fernando Gaviria of Colombia and Elia Viviani of Team Sky.

Cervelo head of engineering Paul McDermott admitted the opportunity to work with British Cycling was too good to turn down, even if it did mean rushing through a new design in time for the Rio Games.

He said: “The challenge of developing the T5GB was significant. British Cycling’s track team is at the top of its sport, and its innovative approach has certainly contributed to that success.

“Next, we translated that knowledge into targets for the T5GB. The uniquely short time frame and ambitious targets made this a challenging project, but now that the new bike is ready, it’s clear that it was well worth it. We can’t wait to see the T5GB in action in Rio.”