Olympic champion Jason Kenny triumphed as Mark Cavendish's Rio hopes receded on day four of the Track Cycling World Championships.

Kenny has a habit of peaking every four years and had more Olympic gold medals than world titles - until coming from behind to beat Australia's Matthew Glaetzer in 2-1 in the final.

"To win the sprint is special. It's the blue riband event," said the 27-year-old from Bolton, who won the 2011 world sprint title after Gregory Bauge of France was stripped of it for an anti-doping infringement and the 2013 Keirin title.

"It makes sense, considering we have the worlds every year. I don't know (why I peak every four years).

"Twelve months ago I remember sitting in the stands, watching the semi-final and the final and it just seemed like a world away. I'd been first-round fodder and we'd all gone home early.

"Now for me to be in the final and for Callum (Skinner) to make the fifth to eighth, we've turned it around. We need to make sure we make the most of the next five months.

"When you look at the kit that we're on and the time in the 200 - it was close to London Olympics. I think I'm there or thereabouts (to) the best I've ever been.

"I don't think I'll ever feel like I'm ready for Rio. You always feel like you need to have more time. The key thing is now between now and the Games - doesn't matter whether we've won here or lost - it's about making the most of every day. To win in Rio we know we'll have to go better again."

Cavendish earlier missed out on an omnium medal on Saturday's penultimate day of competition as his chances of claiming a place in the Olympic team faded.

Fernando Gaviria of Colombia held off the challenge of Roger Kluge of Germany and Glenn O'Shea of Australia to successfully defend his title.

The trio were tied on 191 points after Kluge and O'Shea each took two laps in a sensational concluding points race before running out of steam in the final sprint as Gaviria crossed the line first to triumph.

Elia Viviani of Italy had led entering the last of six disciplines, but dropped to fourth on 189 points.

Cavendish had to settle for sixth on 161 points after being unable to overturn an eight-point deficit to the podium places.

The Manxman was aiming to prove he is capable of claiming a so far elusive Olympic medal in Rio this summer, but he also must commit to the four-rider, four-kilometres team pursuit, which takes priority over the individual omnium event.

The 26-time Tour de France stage winner and 2011 road world champion has twice returned from Olympics without a medal, placing ninth in the Madison in Beijing in 2008 with Sir Bradley Wiggins and 29th in the road race on the opening day of London 2012.

The Madison is no longer an Olympic event, but Cavendish and Wiggins are scheduled to reprise their partnership on Sunday's final day.

Jon Dibben and Ed Clancy are both mainstays in the team pursuit quartet and, at this stage, appear better placed than Cavendish to be selected for Rio.

British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton said there would be no rush to decide on Cavendish, who was satisfied with his performance.

Cavendish said: "I'm not actually too disheartened with how I went. I didn't make any real tactical errors across the whole omnium. My timed events let me down a little bit.

"The kilo I did a good time, it's just everyone did better than me. The pursuit I got a bit carried away with the crowd. I rode like a junior.

"The points, there was a group of us there. It's always going to be hard for me to get away and get the lap, so you have to go for sprints.

"The guys who were better than me have come off the road. I don't know if I'm going to the Olympics. That's down to the selectors. But I know how much more I get off riding the Tour de France.

"That was a world class field. I'm glad I could mix it after not so much training. We'll see what happens now."

Kenny's gold was Britain's third of the championships and seventh medal in all.

Laura Trott is well-placed to add another, but is in a battle for gold with Sarah Hammer of the United States at the halfway point of the omnium.

Kenny could also add a medal in the Keirin on Sunday's final day.