Australian cyclists out to break Rio duck

The men's team sprint trio must defy a barren record if they are to break the Australian cycling medal drought at the Rio Olympics.

The three-rider event will be the only medal decided on Thursday in the opening velodrome session.

Starter Nathan Hart, rising star Patrick Constable and sprint ace Matthew Glaetzer will be the Australian combination.

The closest Australia came to a medal in the four road events was fifth to Rohan Dennis in the time trial.

Without a mechanical disaster, he could have finished as high as second.

The first cycling medal in Rio will be the 50th for Australian cycling in Olympics history.

But Australia have not won an Olympic medal in the men's team sprint since bronze in Sydney.

They also have not won a world championship medal in the event since Melbourne in 2012, when two countries were disqualified in qualifying.

Australia then had a massive upset win over France to win the gold medal.

But Glaetzer is bullish about what they can do in Rio.

"Our training times, we're confident in that, and it's just up to the other countries whether they can match us," he said.

Glaetzer looms as one of the stars of track cycling in Rio.

He is the fastest sprinter in the world this year, qualifying fastest at the world championships and then losing the gold medal ride to British star Jason Kenny.

Men's sprint qualifying is on Friday.

"I was only fastest by one thousandth and I ended up getting beaten by the guy who was slower than me," Glaetzer said.

"It's not much and anyone can win (the sprint).

"It's such a deep competition compared to London, it's twice as competitive."