Men’s team pursuit – ‘not bad for a so-called developing team’

Track king Ed Clancy proved himself the master of understatement when he produced the above quote after winning team pursuit gold.

Riding with the same four-man combination which won European gold in Apeldoorn two weeks earlier – Clancy, Steven Burke, Andy Tennant and Owain Doull – the men qualified fastest before overhauling Australia in the final.

Clancy told reporters this year was the true start of the road to Rio – and the early indications are Britain will be well set for another gold medal charge in Brazil in 2016.

It was not a perfect ride, with victory owing much to the huge shift Burke performed on the front of the quartet, but with a young squad, there is time for improvement.

Doull has slotted almost seamlessly into the team after being selected for the final in Apeldoorn, while the two squad members who missed out in Manchester – Jonathan Dibben and Sam Harrison – are equally capable of performing.

Indeed Dibben proved it with a stunning individual pursuit ride during the men’s omnium, in which he passed his Belarussian opponent on his way to recording the third fastest time of the event.

Great Britain has developed a proud tradition in the discipline, and if the current ‘developing team’ can continue to produce, it looks set to continue.