Britain Set Record To Win Team Pursuit

It was Britain`s fifth gold on the track and sixth in all the cycling events after one on the road.

Britain overpowered Denmark to win the Olympic gold medal in the men's team pursuit cycling on Monday, shattering their own one-day-old world record by more than 2 seconds.

In the bronze medal race New Zealand took an early lead to beat Australia, who were racing without veteran pursuit rider Bradley McGee, for the bronze.

It was Britain's fifth gold on the track and sixth in all the cycling events after one on the road.

Pursuit ace Bradley Wiggins, who already won the individual pursuit and is biding for three golds, helped lead Britain to the new record with an average speed of 61.7 kph (38.3 mph).

Although they had set a world record in the first round on Sunday, Britain were clearly trying to break it.

They set off at a blistering pace which Denmark never came close to matching and the margin between the two teams grew throughout the 16-lap race as the British riders stayed focused and powered their way around Laoshan velodrome.

"We had more in the tank as we showed on the track tonight," said Ed Clancy, who made up the British team along with Paul Manning, Geraint Thomas and Wiggins.

"It's great to be part of such a brilliant British team."