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Sir Bradley Wiggins sure Great Britain can turn tables on Australia

Sir Bradley Wiggins, Men's Team pursuit qualification during the 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
Image: Sir Bradley Wiggins (L) believes Great Britain will win team pursuit gold in Rio

Sir Bradley Wiggins believes team pursuit gold is Britain's to lose when the Olympic Games track cycling competition in Rio gets under way.

Wiggins is keen to end his 16-year Olympic career on top of the podium and win an eighth medal, but admits he would only consider gold as pleasurable.

The former Tour de France winner goes into the competition tied with Sir Chris Hoy on seven Olympic medals - Wiggins has four golds, a silver and two bronzes from the last four Games.

"Anything less than a gold will be a huge disappointment the way we're going at the moment," Wiggins said from the team's training base in Brazil.

"Something will have to go seriously wrong for us to lose and if that's the case whether it's someone struck down with illness or we have a crash or mishap, then it will be a huge disappointment."

The British quartet were beaten by Australia at the World Championships in London earlier this year.

Ed Clancy, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
Image: Ed Clancy was struggling with injury at the World Championships

But Wiggins expects the team, with Clancy back to full fitness, to turn the tables on their chief rivals and see off the other main danger which comes from New Zealand.

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"I'm still adamant that the speeds we were riding on the track, it was always ours to lose at the worlds," he said.

"And we were under strength there with Ed and his problems so in the circumstances it was a fantastic result. With Ed back to full fitness I think it's ours to lose again if you like."

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