One extra rider, and one extra kilometre but Great Britain’s domination of the women’s team pursuit shows little sign of ending. Elinor Barker had already made an almost seamless transition to the senior ranks when she stepped in for the injured Joanna Rowsell in Minsk last year, helping Britain to another world championship success alongside Dani King and Laura Trott. Now, rising Scottish star Katie Archibald has also moved into the senior squad and proved her worth with some stunning rides. Whichever combination of four riders has been chosen this winter, world records have tumbled and gold medals have been won.
Barker, King, Trott and Rowsell set the ball rolling at the British National Championships, and European gold and two World Cup successes have followed. In the two World Cup wins they beat biggest rivals Canada by close to seven seconds on both occasions, comprehensively defeating their North American counterparts. Poland were more than nine seconds back in the European Championship final, and Australia have also been unable to touch Britain’s world record times. Both non-Europeans rivals started their seasons later, and so will be peaking for the World Championships, but if Great Britain are on top form and avoid any disasters in Cali there will be no stopping the golden girls.
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