Great Britain’s team pursuiters gave another dominant display on Thursday morning at the European Track Championships in Grenchen, Switzerland.
Both the men’s and women’s teams beat their opponents in the first round to move through to tonight’s gold medal finals – after both also qualified fastest last night.
Sir Bradley Wiggins took some strong turns at the front of the men’s GB line-up that also comprised Owain Doull, Matt Gibson and Steven Burke. The four riders took double laps in the opening two kilometres against Russia, before Gibson swung off to leave three riders with 2km remaining.
Wiggins, Doull and Burke then powered on, continuing to open up a gap over Russia. As they approached the final line, they realised it was job done – with Wiggins having time to sit up and look across the track to the Russian team.
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Britain will now ride against the home nation, Switzerland, to contest for the gold and silver medals. France will face Denmark in the ride off for bronze.
Earlier, the GB women put in another remarkable performance to beat opponents Poland by over 10 seconds to book their place in the gold medal final.
Katie Archibald replaced Laura Trott from last night’s qualifying round, riding with Elinor Barker, Ciara Horne and Joanna Rowsell Shand.
The GB women will face Russia in the gold medal final, with Poland and Belarus fighting for bronze.
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The news was not so good for GB’s track sprinters. The men’s trio of Philip Hindes, Jason Kenny and Lewis Oliva qualified fifth fastest behind Poland, the Netherlands, France and Germany. It means that they are out of the finals.
Exactly the same fate befell the GB women’s team sprint duo of Jessica Varnish and Katie Marchant, who also qualified fifth and are out of the finals. Russia and Germany will ride off for gold this evening.
Along with the finals of the men’s and women’s team pursuit and team sprint, this evening’s schedule on day two of the European Track Championships includes the men’s scratch race and women’s points race.
