Lucy Garner became only the second British woman to win be crowned junior world champion after a perfectly timed sprint to claim gold in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The 17-year-old claimed Great Britain’s first gold medal of the week after making the decisive six-rider break on the fifth and final lap of the 14km circuit, beating Belgium’s Jessy Druynts and Denmark’s Christina Siggaard to the line.

Garner follows in the formidable footsteps of Olympic champion Nicole Cooke, who earned the same honour in 2000, defending her title 12 months later, while also winning the time trial.

“It feels amazing. I can’t actually describe how it feels,” said Garner, who has enjoyed a fine first season as a domestic senior, finishing second overall behind multiple national cyclo-cross champion Helen Wyman in the Johnson Health Tech Women’s Series.

“There were two riders up the road and I didn’t think they were going to catch them. Our team did so well early on, attacking, making all the moves, and trying to get them back.

“I rode the course before, so I knew where the finish was, a lot of the girls went quite early, but I knew that if I went early I’d blow. So I just paced myself and managed to get it.”

Meanwhile, Andy Fenn later upped Great Britain’s medal haul to five after claiming bronze in the men’s under-23 road race.

Fenn, who will ride for Omega Pharma Quick-Step in 2012, started his sprint early after being led-out by Luke Rowe, but French duo Arnaud Demare and Adrien Petit moved through to secure a dominant one-two.

Elinor Barker won Britain’s first medal of the week in the junior women’s time trial, before Emma Pooley bagged silver in the women’s elite time trial.

Bradley Wiggins then beat Fabian Cancellara to silver in the men’s elite time trial, before Garner and Fenn’s successes.

Pooley, Cooke and Lizzie Armitstead are all among the favourites for the women’s road race on Saturday, before Mark Cavendish leads Great Britain in the men’s race on Sunday.

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