MANCHESTER, England - Britain won all three titles and set a world record in the men's 4,000 metre team pursuit on the second day of the track cycling world championships on Thursday.
Britain's men's team pursuit quartet race on their way to gold on the second day of competition at the track cycling world championships in Manchester, northern England, March 27, 2008. [Agencies] |
The quartet of Bradley Wiggins, Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas and Paul Manning took the team pursuit in a record three minutes 56.322 seconds, beating Denmark in the ride-off for gold and silver. Australia took the bronze.
Rebecca Romero won the women's 3,000 metre individual pursuit title, beating Sarah Hammer of the United States in the final, and Victoria Pendleton and Shanaze Reade won the women's team sprint title ahead of China.
Australia's Katie Mactier won the bronze medal in the 3,000 ride-off against Britain's Wendy Houvenaghel, with a time of 3:32.347.
Germany beat France for the women's team bronze.
The men's team pursuit quartet qualified only second fastest but a reshuffle of the running order in the team allowed them to beat the previous world record of 3:56.610 set by Australia at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
"It's one of those great occasions and to do it on our home track in Manchester is special," Wiggins said.
"The big aim is always the Olympics, so I do believe we can go faster."
Britain has now won four world titles in the opening two days of racing after Wiggins won the men's 4,000 metre individual pursuit on Wednesday.
"It doesn't get much better than this," said Dave Brailsford, British Cycling performance director.
"We've all worked long and hard for the world championships in Manchester and so it's great to get the results."
"What I liked about these three titles is that we had to get up and fight. We didn't qualify fastest in the men's team pursuit but they came out fighting, have broken the world record and shown their true colours.
"Victoria Pendleton and Shanaze Reade were fantastic in the women's sprint. They rode a perfectly disciplined ride, as was Rebecca Romero's ride in the women's pursuit."
Britain won seven world titles in the 2007 world championships in Majorca, Spain and Brailsford was convinced there is more to come this year.
"We've shown we're competitive and I think we'll be competitive in other events. I don't think it's over yet," Brailsford said.
The women's 3,000 metre team pursuit, the men's sprint and the men's points race titles are contested on Friday.
