Mark Cavendish backed for Tour de France before Rio 2016

The 29-year-old Derbyshire cycling star will compete in the Olympic road race, racing in support of Britain’s 27-year-old world champion Lizzie Armitstead, the Yorkshire rider who won a silver medal at the London games.

She won gold in the time trial in 2008 in Beijing and 2012 in London.

The door to the Great Britain cycling team for Rio has been reopened a fraction for the sprinter Jess Varnish whose controversial ejection from the squad in April prompted a chain of events that led to the departure of the technical director Shane Sutton.

British time trial champion Hayley Simmonds has blasted British Cycling over their handling of the Rio Olympics selection, describing their failure to notify her personally of her omission from the squad as “unprofessional and disrespectful”.

They decided her medal capability, along with strong performances this year, warranted a spot ahead of rising star Coryn Rivera, sprint specialist Shelley Olds and US time trial champion Carmen Small.

Four more Olympic medallists are included for the men with Jason Kenny, Ed Clancy, Phillip Hindes and Steven Burke returning while Owain Doull and Callum Skinner are set to make their first Olympic appearances.

USA Cycling had previously announced its track cycling team.

Cavendish said: “I aim to go to Paris and I will see what happens”.

The 27-year-old’s time of 47:33.357 minutes around the 34.8km course was more than 40 seconds better than Rose and nearly a minute quicker than three-time victor Pooley – who is expected to be named in Team GB’s Olympic squad for the road race this Friday.

“I’m proudly patriotic and I love every time I get to pull on the Great Britain jersey and the Olympics is the biggest thing I can do”.

“Speaking on behalf of the male sprint squad, I think we’re in a good place and we’re all ready to race in Rio”, Kenny said. “I’ve had a hard fight back from injury over the past year or so but thanks to an fantastic support team at British Cycling I’m able to put all that behind me and focus on achieving my career goals”.

Prior to heading to the Olympics, Armstrong will compete in the Boise Twilight Criterium on July 16, a source said.

“But what I would say about elite sport is that by its nature you select somebody and don’t select others, and people are going to be upset if they’ve put in 100 per cent and not been picked”.

Phinney finished fourth in the time trial and road races at the London Olympic Games, but that was before a career-threatening crash at the USA road championships in 2014.