GB win women’s team pursuit gold at World Championships

Katie Archibald won gold on her return to racing as she, Megan Barker, Josie Knight and Anna Morris were crowned team pursuit world champions.

The quartet set the tone from the outset in the final, building a formidable lead and reeling in their German rivals in Ballerup, Denmark.

Archibald was back on the bike after missing the 2024 Paris Olympics because of a broken leg sustained in a freak accident.

“It feels good. It’s funny I guess you don’t look your finest when you’re on your knees after a victory but that’s the way you want to feel,” Archibald told BBC Sport.

“Last week there was no pressure, even yesterday there was very little pressure but then about half an hour before everything settled in and I was like ‘I really want this’ and we all really wanted this and it was a fantastic race.

“It’s not words [being back], it’s a deep breath. It’s feeling where you are meant to be and a team you are meant to be part of and what a treat to be part of this squad. It is very special.”

Britain’s Ethan Hayter, Josh Charlton, Charlie Tanfield and Ollie Wood had to settle for silver in the men’s team pursuit, with hosts Denmark pipping them to gold.

Great Britain started positively and held the lead at the 1000m mark but Denmark, who lost the bronze-medal final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, came back fighting with a home crowd firmly behind them.

Danish quartet Tobias Aagaard Hansen, Carl-Frederik Bevort, Niklas Larsen and Frederik Rodenberg Madsen edged in front just as both teams dropped to three riders and went on to retain their advantage until the line.

“It was a wall of noise out there,” Charlton said.

“We didn’t have the home crowd, it does make a bit of a difference but we fancied our chances.

“We were doing good things on the rounds and we pushed them close on their home track. We made them nervous for a bit by keeping it close throughout.”

Meanwhile, Great Britain’s Harry Ledingham-Horn finished fourth in the men’s keirin, with Japan’s Kento Yamasaki taking gold.

There was further success for Japan in the men’s scratch race as Kazushige Kuboki won gold, with Noah Hobbs of Great Britain in sixth.

New Zealand’s Ally Wollaston sealed gold in the women’s elimination race, adding to the bronze she picked up in Wednesday’s scratch event.