Men's and women's team pursuit world records broken in remarkable day at European Track Championships

The men’s and women’s team pursuit world records were both broken on Monday at the UEC European Track Championships.

Twice the Great Britain women’s quartet of Katie Archibald, Millie Couzens, Josie Knight and Anna Morris bettered a benchmark in the 4km event that had stood since 2021. Their time of 4:03.634 in the first round took more than six tenths of a second off the previous record. They then won the gold medal later in the evening with an even faster 4:02.808 in their final against Germany, the former world record holders.

Also in the first round, the Danish men became the first quartet in history to break the 3:40 barrier with their time of 3:39.977. The team of Tobias Hansen, Frederik Rodenberg, Rasmus Pedersen and Lasse Norman Leth, the reigning world champions, also went on to win the title, beating Switzerland.

The men's record was previously held by Australia, who clocked 3:40.730 at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

In total, there were four record-breaking rides in Konya, Turkey, on a remarkable second day of the competition.

In qualifying for the individual sprint, British track sprinter Emma Finucane broke the world record in the flying 200m, beating the previous benchmark by more than two tenths of a second with a time of 9.759 seconds.

“People know that I wanted to break a world record. I think every girl coming into this competition wanted to take the opportunity, too,” Finuncane said afterwards. “To look at the board and see 9.7 and break a world record is unbelievable. I actually can’t believe it.”

The track in Konya, opened in 2022, is located at 1,200m above sea level, an altitude that lowers the air density, which in turn reduces aerodynamic drag. It is also wider and steeper than other tracks, with longer transitions in the corners, which can help 'slingshot' riders.

Elsewhere on Monday, Joe Truman (Great Britain) won his first international championship gold medal in the one-kilometre time trial. The 28-year-old qualified third in the event, before clocking the competition’s fastest time – 57.541 seconds – in the final.

Lotte Kopecky (Belgium) won her seventh Europeans gold medal, and her fourth in the elimination race, while Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany) won the men’s points race.

On Tuesday, Finucane will face Alina Lysenko (neutral athlete) in the semifinals of the women’s sprint competition. The Brit’s compatriot and Olympic gold medal-winning team-mate Sophie Capewell will ride against Lea Sophie Friedrich (Germany).