Millar was a key components of the British team that helped Cavendish win the Road World Championships in Copenhagen this year and he believes that Millar's lifetime Olympics ban is both unfair and to the detriment of Team GB's hopes of success.

"I'd really like him to be there," Cavendish told the BBC in an interview.

"He's a good friend of mine and an incredible bike rider – incredible.

"An incredible person to have on the team.

"I'd love him to be in London [at the Olympics]."

Under a controversial British Olympic Association (BOA) bylaw, Millar is currently banned from representing Team GB because in 2004 he was suspended for two years after admitting taking banned performance-enhancing drugs.

But it is looking increasingly likely that the rule will be scrapped, giving Millar the opportunity to ride in London. 

Earlier this month the BOA filed a formal appeal with Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to challenge the decision last month by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that declared the bylaw non-compliant.


Millar (pictured) is the only British rider to have worn all Tour de France jerseys and one of four to have worn the yellow jersey.

He is also the only British rider to have worn the leader's jersey in all three Grand Tours.

The 34-year-old Scot won the world time trial in 2003 but was stripped of the gold medal after he admitted doping. 

In 2010, four years after his return, however, he won the silver medal at the World Time Trial Championships.

"I'd say that Dave's redeemed himself. Dave cheated, but Dave's an ex-doper on the Athletes Commission, the athletes panel at WADA," said Cavendish.

"He's a massive, massive campaigner about anti-doping, he really realised what he'd done, he learned a lot.

"He actually changed as a person and grew up a lot.

"He's a really good friend of mine and if we want to win the Olympic road race we need Dave – he'd be one of the biggest factors in that.

"As with Copenhagen, if you want to win a race and put it in history you want a group of people around you.

"Not just the eight guys from Copenhagen but all the guys that worked hard to secure our place in Copenhagen.

"There couldn't have been anyone else that I'd [have] wanted to share that with apart from them.

"If we want to go and win an Olympic medal, there's certain people you want to share that with and Dave's one of them."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
December 2011: Drugs cheats will be treated equally if we are forced to pick them promises BOA chairman
December 2011: We agree with BOA that row with WADA should be settled in CAS, says UKAD chief
December 2011: BOA officially file appeal with CAS to keep doping bylaw
December 2011: Exclusive - We did not start this row with WADA, claims BOA chief
December 2011: Malcolm adds voice to British athletes opposed to BOA bylaw