Two golds for GB pursuit squads on day one of London World Cup
Both men's and women's pursuiters claim victory at the Lee Valley VeloPark.
Great Britain's men's and women's team pursuit squads evoked the memories of London 2012 this evening as they both won gold on day one of the Track World Cup meeting in the capital.
For the women, it was another emphatic performance, in which they were fastest throughout the three rounds of competition. After qualifying fastest in the day session, Ciara Horne replaced for Laura Trott for the semis, in which they beat a USA team disqualified for ignoring commissaires' rules.
The latter returned at birthday girl Joanna Rowsell's expense in the final, and alongside Horne, Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker, the quartet rode a 4-22.167 to beat Australia.
GB's women's team pursuit squad last lost an international event in the discipline on December 16, 2010 - a run of 14-consecutive wins.
Gold for Britain followed in the men's discipline shortly after, although it owed a little to bad luck which befell their biggest rivals in the event.
They looked on course to face Australia, who had qualified fastest in this afternoon's session, in the final. However, already down to three men in their semi, Luke Davison punctured which left them unable to set a time.
So instead GB came up against New Zealand, who they had the measure over in qualifying earlier today. And the form book was adhered to in the final, as Andy Tennant, Steven Burke, Mark Christian (drafted in at Ed Clancy's expense for the gold medal ride) and Owain Doull posted a 4-00.957 to beat New Zealand.
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Elsewhere, Britain's Oli Wood finished eighth in the men's point's race, seven places ahead of compatriot Mark Stewart.
Runners-up at this year's Worlds, Germany (Joachim Eilers, Rene Enders and Robert Forstemann) won the men's team sprint, while their world champion counterparts Kristina Vogel and Miriam Welte took second in the women's event behind China.
Track World Cup London, day one, day session
Women's Team Pursuit semi-finals
Great Britain 4-24.715 beat USA DSQ
Australia 4-25.504 beat Canada 4-26.576
Women's Team Pursuit finals
1. Great Britain 4-22.167 beat Australia 4.24.244
3. Canada 4-23.681 beat China 4-32.070
Men's Team Pursuit semi-finals
Great Britain 4-00.251 beat Denmark 4-00.446
New Zealand 4-03.654 beat Australia DNF
Men's Team Pursuit finals
1. Great Britain 4-00.957 beat New Zealand 4-05.425
3. Denmark 4-02.204 beat Switzerland 4-05.326
Men's Points Race final
1. Eloy Teruel Rovaira (Esp) 43pts
2. Kenny De Ketele (Bel) 34pts
3. Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) 31pts
4. Takuto Kurabayashi (Jpn) 30pts
5. Edwin Avila Vengas (Col) 29pts
Other
8. Oli Wood (GBr) 9pts
Men's Team Sprint finals
1. Germany 43.665 beat Jayco-AIS 44.103
3. New Zealand 43.713 beat France 43.765
Women's Team Sprint finals
1. China 33.010 beat Germany 33.024
3. Russia 33.392 beat Jayco-AIS 33.487
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Nick Bull is an NCTJ qualified journalist who has written for a range of titles, as well as being a freelance writer at Beat Media Group, which provides reports for the PA Media wire which is circulated to the likes of the BBC and Eurosport. His work at Cycling Weekly predominantly dealt with professional cycling, and he now holds a role as PR & Digital Manager at SweetSpot Group, which organises the Tour of Britain.