The test competition, titled the London-Surrey Cycle Classic, started and finished here and the flat terrain suited Cavendish as the 26-year-old Isle of Mann rider produced his trademark sprint finish to claim victory ahead of the pack in a time of time of three hours 18min and 11sec.

Sacha Modolo of Italy was second and France's Samuel Dumoulin was third just behind the british rider.

But American sprinter Tyler Farrar, expected to be Cavendish's biggest challenger for gold in the event, suffered a crash in the closing stages as his big rival went on to take victory.

Cavendish, who became the first British rider to win the maillot vert in this year's Tour de France, was quick to praise the British team that led him to the victory which was made up of Ben Swift, Peter Kennaugh, Alex Dowsett, Ian Stannard and Roger Hammond.

"We've got an incredible group of guys, the strongest team we've ever had and it bodes well for the world road race and the Olympics," Cavendish told insidethegames.

"I'm just very happy to win and the team did a great job for me.

"It's a spectacular result for them."

The 140 kilometres 1.2 graded race, which began at 9am, passed through a total six London Boroughs, four Royal Parks and a looped route around Box Hill in Surrey on closed roads while it was free to view for the public who cheered on from the side of the course.


After starting at The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace, the race ran through Walton, Weybridge, The Byfleets, Dorking, Box Hill, Leatherhead and Esher before returning to central London but it was only a shorted version of the Olympic course.

The course included two laps of the 15.5 kilometre Box Hill circuit but at the 2012 Olympics there will be nine laps and the men's race will last for approximately six hours and be 250 kilometres length.

"It's nice to win but today gives me no indication about what will happen at London 2012," said Cavendish.

"The difference between the outcome of the race between two laps of Box Hill and nine is huge.

"This was never going to be a realistic taste of how the Olympic road race will go and we all knew that."

However, the test event proved that the course is one for the sprinters meaning that Cavendish could well win Britain's first gold medal at the London 2012 Games as the men's Olympic road race scheduled to take place on Saturday July 28 on the first day of full competition.

The women's Olympic road race, a shorter version at 120 kilometres will be held the day after the men's road race on Sunday July 29.

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