British Team KGF sweep to team pursuit win in UCI World Cup

Team KGF quartet Charlie Tanfield, Harry Tanfield, Dan Bigham and Jonathan Wale swept to a convincing win in the team pursuit at the final round of the UCI Track World Cup in Minsk, Belarus, on Sunday.

The current British national champions in the discipline, Team KGF posted a blistering time of 3-56.015 over the four-kilometre distance to beat Russian team Lokosphinx and claim the gold medal.

The victory was added to Tanfield's gold in the individual pursuit on Saturday, where he beat Portugal's Ivo Oliveira, to top off a successful weekend for the independent British trade team. Tanfield took the victory by over five seconds, setting a time of 4-12.253, which is among the fastest IP times in history.

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Team KGF have rapidly come to the public's attention with a string of impressive results in pursuit disciplines, which have been unusually achieved by riders who are outside the British Cycling system – although the team has been training at British Cycling headquarters in Manchester. Normally the squad train in Derby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vFjec2zsio

Tanfield and Bigham are thought to be in with a strong chance of being selected to ride for Great Britain in the 2018 Track World Championships, making them the first non-British Cycling riders to be selected to represent the county in the event since 2008.

Elsewhere at the World Cup, Elinor Barker took two silver medals, in the multi-discipline omnium and the scratch race.

Sprinter Lewis Oliva took bronze medal in the men's keirin for Team Wales.

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The Netherlands topped the overall medal table in Minsk, with seven podium positions. With its two golds, KGF finished equal third alongside Germany.

KGF are seeking to defend their national team pursuit title at the British track championships this weekend (January 26-28).