2013 Manchester World Track Cup Day 1

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In front of thousands of spectators, British riders did them and the country proud on day 1 of the World Cup in Manchester

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The highlight of the day was Great Britain’s women, Joann Rowsell, Laura Trott, Dani King and Elinor Barker twice breaking the world record which got the crowd on its feet and raising the roof with the noise of the cheering. The atmosphere when a British rider put distance between themselves and the rest was nothing but electric.

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L-R: Dani King, Laura Trott, Elinor Barner and Joanna Rowsell celebrate yet another Gold medal and world record.

Photo Album

With a new distance of 4,000 metres for the Women’s Team Pursuit, and four riders instead of three, the GB quartet lowered their own record from the Europeans in qualifying and then went faster again (4. 19.604) as they beat Canada in the final. According to the BBC report, The GB team’s time would have won the men’s event at any Olympic Games up to Moscow 1980.

A look through the times for World Cups, would show that their time is also within touching distance of many a men’s team in the last few years.

Rowsell, 24, told BBC Sport: “Over the next three years you’ll see that record get lower and lower. We all live and die for the team pursuit. It’s great to be back here, racing for a home crowd, and it’s exciting to go out and break world records again.”

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The three World Champions race for the line at the end of their qualifying ride where they broke the world record for the first time during the day.

“A few of the top nations weren’t here so we’re not getting complacent. The rest of the world is really going to grow into this event over the next few years.” Laura Trott added “It feels amazing. We kind of knew the world record was going to go, but we didn’t think it would go by that much. It really came together in the final.”

The Australians won the Bronze medal beating Russia in the final. Earlier in the day, Wales had a team on the track, Emily Kay, Amy Hill, Hayley Jones and Ciara Horne and whilst they were not as fast as they have been in training, they still finished the competition 9th. Their qualifying ride also saw Hayley Jones on the start line with her mother Louise who now resides in Australia, a former Commonwealth Games champion, also there as a UCI commissaire.

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With the crowd on their feet, the Women’s team Pursuit race to the line to win the Gold and set another World Record.

MEN’S TEAM PURSUIT
There was also Gold in the Men’s Team Pursuit as Great Britain improved on their times at the European Championships. Ed Clancy, Steven Burke (both Olympic champions), Andy Tennant and Owain Doull qualified fastest to set up a race against Australia in the final who were fielding only one of their World Championship line up from 2013.

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The GB Mens team in formation as they finish their final to win Gold.

After qualifying, it appeared as though the Brits would put the Aussies to the sword but the final was much closer than expected. Clancy, Tennant, Burke and Doull won the Gold medal ride off in a time of 3:58.654 to Australia’s 3:59.293, a margin of just 0.639.

“We keep saying this is a developing team,” Clancy told BBC Sport. “But when you think back to 2008, when we had the World Championships here, we’re not a million miles off that now with a so-called development team. Andy Tennant added: “It’s been a good start to the track season and hopefully we can carry this run on to Mexico [the next World Cup, in December] and Colombia.”

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Newbie in the Team Pursuit line up this year, Owain Doull has stepped up to the mark to show the strength in depth the country has in Team Pursuiting.

WOMEN’S TEAM SPRINT
There was a very new look to the Women’s sprint from twelve months ago. With Victoria Pendleton retired and Jess Varnish not riding that event, youngsters Vicky Williamson and Becky James showed their potential in this event, finishing second to World Champions Germany.

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Vicky Williamson races down the home straight chased by Becky James in the final of the Women’s Team Pursuit.

James and Williamson both set personal bests in this competition. “I didn’t expect the time I came away with today at all” said Welsh rider James, a double World Champion in 2013. “I’m really happy. I’ve got two more full days of racing so it’s a big weekend of racing for me.”

MEN’S TEAM SPRINT
There was a Bronze medal for the GB trio in the final of this event. After a great time of 43.693 in qualifying with Philip Hindes, Jason Kenny and Kiam Emadi, the GB team swapped Emadi with Matt Crampton for the final where they faced New Zealand and the Brits with the crowd on their side were two strong for the Kiwis.

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Jason Kenny, Phillip Hindes and Matt Crampton on the podium with their Bronze medals.

WOMEN’S SCRATCH RACE
Riding for Scotland, Katie Archibald, showed she knew how to ride a Scratch race, making the final and then in that, getting in the key move to lap the field before finishing second to Poland’s Malgorzata Wojtyra

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 Katie Archibald of Scotland with the Silver medal after the Women’s Scratch race.

More Photos:

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Jon Dibben hitting them where it hurts in the final half of the Omnium Points race, battling with Arron Gate of New Zealand.

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 A packed track centre for the world cup.

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 Final of the Men’s Team Sprint and Jason Kenny takes over from Phillip Hindes after lap 1 of the three lap race.

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 Matt Crampton on his final lap in the Team Sprint.

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 Becky James and Vicky Williamson on the podium with their Silver medals from the Women’s Team Sprint.

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 GB’s women at speed in the Team Pursuit

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 Katie Archibald.

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 Iain Dyer goes through the qualifying run for Team GB in the Women’s Team Sprint.

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 Qualifying in the Men’s Team Sprint with Kian Emadi in third wheel.

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 Team Wales on the start line of the Women’s Team Pursuit.

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 Beijing Olympic Gold medallist Paul Manning gives the Men’s Team Pursuit riders their final briefing.

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Winner of a stage in the Tour of Britain as well as a lot of other road races in 2013, Elia Viviani of Italy, still racing, this time in the Team Pursuit.

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