Track Cycling Worlds 2014: GB miss out on team pursuit medals

World Track Cycling Championships

  • Venue: Cali, Colombia
  • Date: Wednesday, 26 February - Sunday, 2 March

Coverage: Live daily on BBC Red Button, online and BBC Sport App from 23:20 GMT. Highlights on BBC One on 1 March (13:15-14:45) and on BBC Two on 2 March (16:00-17:30)

Olympic champions Great Britain missed out on a medal ride in the men's team pursuit on day one of the Track Cycling World Championships in Colombia.

Two-time Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy, Sam Harrison, Owain Doull and Jon Dibben finished eighth, in four minutes 4.419 seconds in Cali.

GB won the four-kilometre event in 2012, silver in 2013 and gold at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.

Australia race Denmark for gold, with Russia against New Zealand for bronze.

The Danes qualified quickest in a track record of 4:00.176, while Australia - who were second fastest - clocked 4:01.516.

Britain were expected to qualify for a medal match but they consistently lapped slower than their rivals.

London 2012 gold medallist Steven Burke was not selected for the qualifying ride after not recovering from illness.

"We didn't announce it on Twitter, but behind the scenes we've had some problems," said Clancy.

"We knew a week ago our back was against the wall. (But) despite the fact we didn't have a couple of our more established riders in the line-up, we were still hoping to get a ride in the final.

"That's sport. Some days you go better than you think, other days you don't go quite so well.

"We have tried a bit of a different approach for these track worlds. Perhaps it just hasn't paid off."