Britain clinch gold in women’s team pursuit

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TEAM PURSUIT

Great Britain finally clinched their first gold of the 2009 World Track Championships at the end of an epic ding-dong battle with New Zealand.

The GB trio of Wendy Houvenaghel, Jo Rowsell and Lizzie Armitstead finally cracked the jinx in the eighth event of the World Track Champinoships - and seventh in which Britain has participated

It was no easy ride either, with the British only putting any distance between themselves and the New Zealanders in the final third of the race to finally take gold by over a second.

Endurance Coach Dan Hunt even used the classic old trick of telling the trio they were behind when in fact they were ahead, to make sure they gave it the absolute maximum.

The result was Great Britain?s second victory in two years in the women?s team pursuit. And after the GB gold rush at Mallorca, Manchester and Beijing, the sound of the National Anthem ringing out in the Pruskow stadium for the first time was more than welcome.

For Lizzie Armitstead as well, the hard-earned British victory constituted her first senior title, another big step forward in a career which already looked very promising.

For Houvenhagel meanwhile, taking gold more than compensated for her individual pursuit defeat the previous night, where New Zealander Alison Shanks had forcd her to settle for silver.

?It has really made up for the disappointment of last night,? Houvenhagel argued

?I?ll have the next few weeks off and it?ll be nice to have some time to relax and enjoy this win.?

Great Britain has a total of six medals from the World's 2009: one gold, three silvers and two bronzes.

Result: Women?s Team Pursuit

1. Great Britain 3-22.720

2. New Zealand 3-23.993

3. Australia 3-24.972

4. Holland 3-29.379

Qualifying

5. Lithuania

6. China

7. Germany

8. Russia

9. Belgium

10. Colombia

11. Belarus

12. Italy

13. Poland

14. Spain

Track Cycling World Championships 2009

The GB trio on their way to victory in the team pursuit

Track Cycling World Championships 2009

Getting some media attention after the win

Track Cycling World Championships 2009

All that glitters: Lizzie Armitstead, Wendy Houvenaghel and Jo Rowsell

2009 UCI TRACK CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

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RACE REPORTS

The CW Hub: Track World Championships index

Women's team pursuit: Britain clinch gold

women's team sprint: Reade and Pendleton score silver

Men's scratch race: Cavendish marked out of contention

Men's individual pursuit: Phinney wins gold

Men's team sprint: France beat Britain

Men's Points Race: Newton gets bronze

Women's individual pursuit: Houvenaghel beaten to silver

500m TT: World record for Krupeckaite, bronze for Pendleton

NEWS AND FEATURES

Track worlds day one: steady start for team GB

Why there's no Brit in the individual pursuit

No individual pursuit for Britain at track worlds

No room for complacency in British Cycling: Iain Dyer interviewCavendish in the frame for Scratch race world title bid

2009 Track Cycling World Championships preview

Crampton set to fill Sir Chris Hoy's team sprint spot

2009 World Track Champs GB squad named

Hoy to miss world track champs

Track World Championships: British medal winners

CW's Dummies' Guide to Track Racing

PHOTOS

Day two: Track Worlds 2009

Day one: Track Worlds 2009

GB RIDER PROFILES

Men

Jonathan Bellis

Steven Burke

Mark Cavendish

Ed Clancy

Matt Crampton

David Daniell

Ross Edgar

Jason Kenny

Chris Newton

Jamie Staff

Women

Lizzie Armitstead

Wendy Houvenaghel

Victoria Pendleton

Shanaze Reade

Joanna Rowsell

Jessica Varnish

RECENT RESULTS

International track results last season: 2007-2008

International track results this season: 2008-2009

2008 TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS LINKS

Full results from the 2008 track worlds

Report: Sunday, day five>>

Report: Saturday, day four>>

Report: Friday, day three>>

Report: Thursday, day two>>

Report: Wednesday, day one>>

EXTERNAL LINKS

Track Cycling World Championships 2009 official website

Union Cycliste Internationale

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