Bradley Wiggins' retirement from cycling may be postponed after the five-time Olympic gold medallist was named in British Cycling's 2016-17 squad.

Wiggins had suggested he would retire after Rio 2016 but, having claimed team pursuit gold in Brazil and gone on to win the Six Days of Ghent, he hinted he may continue.

After his victory in Ghent with Mark Cavendish the Tour de France winner told the crowd "this might not be my last race", and British Cycling will provide support to him should he take his career into another year.

The 36-year-old was included in British Cycling's Olympic Podium Programme for the next year on Thursday as part of the men's track endurance squad.

"Bradley Wiggins is continuing to consider the direction of his future," British Cycling said on Twitter. 

"We are happy to give him the flexibility to allow him to do that."

Wiggins is joined in the overall squad by Cavendish, Steve Cummings and Chris Froome, while there is a return for 2012 gold medallist Dani King.

Olympic golden couple Jason and Laura Kenny remain part of the set-up after their record-breaking performances in Rio that saw them become the most successful male and female athletes in British history.

"In a year which has seen some fantastic performances from the Great Britain Cycling Team, the bar for programme membership remains high and we have a very strong Podium Programme squad to lead us into the next Olympic cycle," said programmes director Andy Harrison.

"Throughout the pathway system we have some incredibly talented riders and we are confident of continuing our success in the coming years."