The victor of 30 stages of the Tour de France, Cavendish was the only British rider to miss out on a track cycling medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Advertisement
Cavendish finally broke the streak during a dramatic night at the Velodrome, which at one stage saw him wipe out his main contender for gold.
After winning the penultimate sprint, Viviani knew the gold was all but secure unless either Mark Cavendish or 2012 champion Lasse Norman Hansen managed to launch an audacious late attack.
In the points race, world champion Fernando Gaviria (Colombia) attacked nearly from the gun, taking the first sprint points but missing out on gaining a lap.
A mid-race crash appeared to be of Cavendish’s own making and he may yet face a protest from rivals or a sanction from race officials which could deny him the podium spot.
The Italian had finished first in the elimination race, second in the flying lap and third in both the individual pursuit and 1km time-trial.
Viviani held on for gold while Cavendish was able to fend off Hansen to earn the silver.
He was 29th in the road race on the opening day of London 2012, as Britain felt the peloton conspired against the sprinter.
Viviani won the 14th and 15th sprints, collecting five points each time, to ensure he would win, despite Cavendish’s best efforts.
The 31-year-old Manxman will be 35 by Tokyo 2020 and may have achieved everything he wishes on the road by then, so another Olympic track bid should not be discounted.
New Zealand’s Natasha Hansen (left) battles Lithuania’s Simona Krupeckaite (centre) and France’s Virginie Cueff in her women’s individual sprint 1/8th finals repechage.
Laura Trott took control of the women’s omnium at the Rio Games as Italy’s Elia Viviani won gold in the men’s.
Lauren Ellis (front) competes in the women’s omnium scratch race at the Rio Velodrome. Normally pursuit’s my weakest event but I was second.
Becky James and Katy Marchant, meanwhile, have completed their day’s work, progressing to Tuesday’s women’s sprint quarter-finals at the first attempt.
Advertisement
Defending champion Anna Meares of Australia is out.
