Team GB claim four medals at cycling World Championships
Britian's cyclists could not find the golden touch on day one
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Wednesday, 25, Mar 2009 09:18
Great Britain have won four medals on the opening day of the cycling World Championships in Pruszkow, Poland.
The men's team sprint squad, without the injured Sir Chris Hoy, could not could not repeat their success from the Olympics, finishing second behind France.
Matthew Crampton stood in for Hoy to join Jamie Staff and Jason Kenny and although they qualified in second place they were no match for France in the final.
Olympic silver medallist Wendy Houvenaghel had to settle for second place again after failing to repeat her form from qualifying. She was beaten in the final by New Zealander Alison Shanks.
The 34-year-old led at the halfway point of the race but faded over the final 2km to finish 2.3secs behind Shanks.
Elsewhere, Victoria Pendleton won a silver medal in the women's 500m time trial in her first attempt at the event.
The event was won by Lithuania's Simona Krupeckaite who set a new 500m time trial world record of 33.296secs.
It was an unexpected bronze for Pendleton, who will also compete in the Kerin for the first time along with defending her world titles in the team sprint with Shanaze Reade as well as the individual sprint.
In the men's points race Jamie Newton claimed a deserved bronze medal.
Newton was also third in last year's Olympics and led part of the way through the 160-lap race in Pruszkow. However, he was eventually overhauled by Australia's Cameron Meyer.