Mark Cavendish is not expected to ride in the individual pursuit race on Friday, despite speculation that the quadruple stage winner in the Tour de France would take up the second place in the discipline, alongside Bradley Wiggins, allocated to Team GB.

As well as road stages in the Tour and Giro d'Italia, Cavendish has won prologue time-trials in races such as the Tour of Britain, successes that have demonstrated his aptitude for lone efforts against the clock. But his partnership with Wiggins is seen as the key to success in the Madison race on Tuesday and the 23-year-old will focus his efforts on that event.

“Mark riding the pursuit was always a bit of a long shot,” Chris Boardman, the Team GB coach and world pursuit record-holder, said. “The hesitation has been over Geraint Thomas, who will also ride in the team pursuit. His form is phenomenal, but we don't want to jeopardise the team pursuit [which begins on Sunday].

“We have taken the place allocated to us in the individual pursuit and the International Cycling Union will be disappointed if we don't use it, because we have taken a place from another nation. We could do that, but it would really upset people, so my thinking is that Geraint will ride.” Chris Newton, who also rides in the points race, is another option.

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Why didn't they ring me up before they decided to hold the Olympic Games in Beijing in August? Don't do it, I'd have said

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Yesterday, as the endurance riders stretched their legs on the open road, Victoria Pendleton and Ross Edgar, her fellow sprinter, were putting the finishing touches to their preparations in the Laoshan velodrome. For Pendleton, the world sprint champion, the Olympic Games will be her first serious event since the World Championships in Manchester in March.

Pendleton spent much of her time riding circuits of the track looking over her shoulder at imaginary rivals, simulating the riding style she will need if she is to fend off their accelerations. If all goes well, the 27-year-old may claim her first Olympic title, but have a crick in the neck for her pains.