Medals elude Brits at Track World Cup

Great Britain’s men continued their team sprint travails in a medal-less day of the opening Track World Cup event of the season in Astana, Kazakhstan yesterday.

Britain have struggled to find the right blend for the event since winning Olympic gold in Beijing and the trio of Ross Edgar, Jason Kenny and Jason Queally clocked 44.326 seconds, only enough for seventh place.

A German squad, competing as Erdgas.2012, won gold in 43.474secs.

Sir Chris Hoy was rested for the event and will ride in the Keirin today and individual sprint on Sunday.

Jess Varnish and Becky James were fourth in the two-woman, two-lap women’s team sprint, with world champions Australia first, Ukraine second and Germany third.

Varnish was fourth in the women’s 500metres time-trial, clocking a personal best of 34.293, while European champion Ed Clancy was in seventh place at the halfway stage of the men’s omnium. Clancy won the flying lap, was 15th in the points race and 11th in the elimination race to sit on 27 points, 16 behind overnight leader Roger Kluge of Germany.