Trott, King and Rowsell keep gold medals coming

Team GB team pursuit women on podium, London 2012 Olympic Games, track day three evening session

Three rides, three world records, and at the end of it all, three Olympic gold medals. The British women's team pursuit trio dominated their event in London even more so than their male counterparts.

The team of Laura Trott, Dani King and Joanna Rowsell put together three sensational rides through the competition to become the first Olympic champions in this event, and bring the world record down to three minutes, 14.051 seconds. Prior to the London world cup in February this year that record had stood stubbornly at the three minute 19 second mark.

"Words can't describe how I'm feeling, it's just an incredible feeling and I don't think this smile is going to come off my face for a long time," said Dani King, who wasn't even riding a bike back in 2005 when London was announced as the Olympic host city.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet, it's been such an incredible week starting with Lizzie [Armitstead] on Sunday," said Rowsell. "It's great to be part of that and keep the golds going."

This was perhaps the most formidable performance of all the British cyclists who have so far won five gold medals, one silver and a bronze (four wins out of five on the track). They faced the American team of Sarah Hammer, Dotsie Bausch and Jennie Reed in the final who had posted a time of 3-16.8 minutes in their first round ride just an hour before. This significantly closed the gap on the British trio who were light years ahead of everyone else in yesterday's qualifying round.

But in the final GB were always in front, and even had the Americans in their sights in the final few laps. That and the incredible noise from the crowd spurred them on to set their third world record in three rides.

This trio has in fact broken the world record the last six times they have ridden, dating back to February's world cup here in London.

"We've been working so hard and making gains all the time in training. I just want to thank Paul [Manning] our coach who has been incredible. We've had some tough training camps and come together today. It's been a dream come true." Said King.

Canada won the bronze, beating Australia in their final

In the morning's session Jason Kenny set a new Olympic record in the men's sprint, beating Gregory Bauge (France) by two tenths of a second. Both received a bye in the 1/16 finals that came next, and cruised through their 1/8 finals. If all goes to form they should meet in Monday's gold medal final.

Kenny's flying 200m time confirms the Briton is in blistering form, although multiple sprint world champion Bauge is still the man to beat.

Ed Clancy finished day one of the men's omnium in fourth place on 17 points. Frenchman Bryan Coquard leads on ten after winning the elimination race. Clancy won the opening round, the flying lap, posting a 200m time that would have qualified him fifth in the sprint competition.

Eleventh in the points race dropped him down the standings, but a good ride in the elimination race saw him finish fifth. Several times he used the Laura Trott tactic of hanging off the back before charging down the outside in the final straight to get ahead of the riders stuck at the bottom of the track.

It worked several times, but in the end he sat up and let the four riders left ride off to contest the places. Clancy's best event, the kilometre time trial is still to come, and he should place well in the individual pursuit, making the scratch race decisive. 

Jason Kenny in the sprint

Men's omnium scratch race

Ed Clancy in the omnium scratch race

Great Britain's women team pursuiters

Dani King, Joanna Rowsell and Laura Trott come in to the line

King, Trott and Rowsell win gold

Omnium elimination race

London 2012: Live text coverage of cycling events

August 4: Track cycling day three

August 3: Track cycling day two

August 2: Track cycling day one

August 1: Men's and women's time trials

July 28: Men's road race

July 29: Women's road race

London 2012: Latest news

Comment: Hindes's purposeful crash - fair or foul?

New format for team pursuit explained

Pendleton and Varnish out of team sprint

'Hot pants' key to Pendleton and Hoy sprint

Britain's sprinters looking to continue GB medal haul

Wiggins: Tour was perfect Olympic TT preparation

Olympic time trial round-up

Pendleton warms up for London 2012

Cancellara in, Evans out of time trial

CW eyewitness: Remember the name

Cavendish finds solace in commitment of his team mates

London 2012: Team info

Men's road race start list

Women's road race start list

Men's time trial start list

Women's time trial start list

Team GB rider profiles

Great Britain track team confirmed

Bronzini leads Italian Olympic cycling team

British Olympic men's road race team announced

Armitstead and Cooke lead GB women's road cycling team

London 2012: Event guides

Olympic Games men's time trial: Who will win?

Olympic Games women's time trial: Who will win?

Olympic time trial routes announced

Olympic Games women's road race: Who will win?

Olympic Games men's road race: Who will win?

Download detailed Olympic road race route map

London 2012 cycling schedule

London 2012: Reports

Kenny lights up a stuttering men's sprint competition

Track day two: Pendleton and team pursuiters deliver more gold

Track cycling day one: Hoy leads team sprinters to gold

Wiggins wins gold in men's time trial, bronze for Froome

Armstrong defends Olympic title in women's time trial

Cycling events medal table

Women's road race: Armitstead wins silver as Vos strikes gold

Men's road race: Vinokourov wins as Cavendish misses out

London 2012: Photos

Track day three morning session by Andy Jones

Track day two by Phil O'Connor

Track day two by Graham Watson

Track day one by Andy Jones

Track day one by Phil O'Connor

Track day one by Graham Watson

Men's time trial by Graham Watson

Women's time trial by Graham Watson

Pendleton track training

Women's road race by Andy Jones

Women's road race by Graham Watson

Men's road race by Andy Jones

Men's road race by Phil O'Connor

Men's road race by Graham Watson

Team GB road race training on Box Hill (July 26)

London 2012: Podcasts

Cycling Weekly podcasts on Soundcloud

London 2012: TV schedule

London 2012 BBC TV cycling coverage schedule

London 2012 Eurosport cycling coverage schedule

Related links

CW's dummies' guide to track racing

World's best BMXers in London 2012 test event

Olympic road race test event: Report card

Cavendish wins London-Surrey Cycle Classic

London-Surrey Cycle Classic photo gallery

Olympic road race route officially revealed

London 2012 tickets on sale from March

 

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Simon Richardson
Magazine editor

Editor of Cycling Weekly magazine, Simon has been working at the title since 2001. He fell in love with cycling 1989 when watching the Tour de France on Channel 4, started racing in 1995 and in 2000 he spent one season racing in Belgium. During his time at CW (and Cycle Sport magazine) he has written product reviews, fitness features, pro interviews, race coverage and news. He has covered the Tour de France more times than he can remember along with two Olympic Games and many other international and UK domestic races. He became the 130-year-old magazine's 13th editor in 2015.