Cycling: Britain on top of the world after victory over Australia

Olympic champions Thomas and Clancy were joined by Pete Kennaugh and Steven Burke – a replacement for qualifying rider Andy Tennant – to take gold in the four-man, four-kilometre team pursuit in a world record of three minutes 53.295 seconds.

In beating the time which won gold in Beijing in 2008, the British quartet landed a telling blow on arch rivals Australia four months out from the London Games.

Not to be outdone by his friends and team-mates, Ben Swift won the non-Olympic scratch race, but Jess Varnish and Victoria Pendleton had to settle for fourth in the two-woman, two-lap team sprint and Philip Hindes, Jason Kenny and Sir Chris Hoy were disqualified in the corresponding men’s event.

While there were disappointments, there was also over-riding joy as Britain ended Australia’s winning streak at three in the team pursuit by surprisingly bettering the Olympic-winning mark of 3mins 53.314secs.

The ebb and flow of the duel with Australia’s Glenn O’Shea, Jack Bobridge, Rohan Dennis and Michael Hepburn, who were 0.106secs behind in 3:53.401, made the victory all the sweeter.

Thomas, part of the Olympic-winning quartet, said: “I am surprised that we broke the world record. It’s a great day.”

It was Britain’s first world title in the event since Manchester in 2008 and was a good omen – the 2004 and 2008 world champions went on to win the Olympics later in the same year. “It’s the best one ever,” Clancy, like Thomas a world and Olympic champion in 2008, said. “I don’t think we’ve had to fight as hard as that for a win.”

Clancy described himself and Kennaugh as “passengers” in the closing lap as Thomas dragged them along and feared defeat, but Britain prevailed.

Thomas, by his own admission, was sub-standard at February’s Track World Cup in London, when Britain trailed Australia by 1.715secs at the Olympic Velodrome.

Head coach Shane Sutton even wondered if Thomas was prepared to travel to Australia following a trial two weeks ago. Thomas added: “I got a phone call two days later and they said ‘you’re man six, do you want to go and fight for your place?’ I always knew I’d come round and I’d be better.”

It was the first time Britain had beaten Australia’s top squad since Beijing. Clancy believes Australia remain the favourites, but Thomas reckons Britain can go faster still and a time of 3:50 is possible in August. The 25-year-old from Cardiff said: “There’s nothing we can do about how fast they’re going to go; we know we’re going to get even faster. Like we did in Beijing, I’m sure we’re going to be two or three seconds quicker come London.” Swift travelled with the team pursuit squad only to miss selection, instead included in non-Olympic disciplines, but the Rotherham rider emerged victorious in the 15km (60 laps) scratch.

Swift was spurred on by the team pursuit win, saying: “I couldn’t be sitting there the only one not with anything.”

After Melbourne, Swift will consider whether he can force his way into the team pursuit squad or if he has another Olympic option – including the prospect of supporting Mark Cavendish in the road race. He said: “I’d love to support Cav. It’s nice to have options if the team pursuit doesn’t happen.”

While the team pursuit squad have choices to make, the sprint teams have work to do. Varnish and Pendleton entered as world record holders, only to finish fourth in 33.160 as their time was bettered by Germany.

Kristina Vogel and Miriam Welte triumphed in 32.549, with Australia’s Anna Meares and Kaarle McCulloch second and China’s Gong Jinjie and Guo Shuang of China (32.870) third. Pendleton said: “Luckily we’ve still got a little bit more time until the Olympics and hopefully we can find a little bit more on home turf.”

British fortunes took a further knock in the men’s event. The trio initially thought they had advanced to the third-placed ride-off, but the takeover between Hindes and Kenny – the first and second riders, respectively – took place too soon. Hindes is a 19-year-old specialist starter who was making his World Championships debut.

The highlight of today’s second day is the three-woman, three-lap team pursuit, with world record holders Joanna Rowsell, Dani King and Laura Trott bidding for Britain’s fourth world title in five years in the event.