KEY POINTS:
After failing to scale any great heights at the Laoshan Velodrome, Greg Henderson signalled his intention to take a sabbatical from track cycling in a bid to tackle the Tour de France.
Henderson and Hayden Roulston finished 10th in the men's madison tonight, a subdued ending to the Otago rider's fourth Olympics.
He also finished 10th in his premier event, the points race on Sunday, but declared a desire to compete again in London in 2012.
However, Henderson will pare back his track involvement when he hopes to join New Zealand's leading road racer Julian Dean in cycling's premier tour.
"I'm going to step away for a couple of years now. I've signed a really good contract with my pro team," he said.
"My next goal is the Tour de France, I really want to make a big shove towards that."
While watching Dean's progression as a pointer of what can be achieved, Henderson took more encouragement from English friend and rival Mark Cavendish.
"Mark's just won four stages of the Tour de France. It sets you up for life. You don't have to work another day in your life."
Henderson also took inspiration from the medal-winning deeds of Spaniard Joan Llaneras and one half of the triumphant Argentinian madison-winning duo, Juan Esteban Curuchet.
Retirement-bound Llaneras, a silver medallist tonight and the points race winner on Sunday, is approaching 40; Curuchet is already past that milestone.
"The madison champion's 42, the points race champion is 39. I'm 31. I now have time to build a really solid career on the road.
"I definitely want to come back for London."
Henderson and Roulston, world championship silver medallists in 2003, were heavily marked tonight and were never given a chance to make a decisive break in the 50km endurance event.
Argentina, Spain and Russia all managed to take laps on the field, ensuring they would fight out the medals.
The South Americans won with eight points accumulated from sprints, Spain had seven and Russia six.
New Zealand won the seventh of 10 sprints to end a lap down on five points.
World champions Great Britain were a distant ninth as Cavendish could not guide individual and team pursuit champion Bradley Wiggins to what would have been a third gold medal.
- NZPA
