Italy take Women's Team Pursuit gold at UCI World Track Championships

For the first time ever, Italy have been crowned Women's Team Pursuit world champions after victory over Great Britain in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France at the UCI World Track Championships.

After the French team had delighted the home crowd by picking up their first ever World Championship medal in the event by beating Australia in the bronze medal race, it was a repeat of the Men's Team Pursuit final... Great Britain versus Italy for the rainbow jersey.

It was the Italian's who started the quicker, leading by over 1.2 seconds out the gate. The risk that comes with going out so quick is of course the potential to burn out later in the race. As both teams dropped to 3 riders the gap had in fact risen 1.7 seconds for the final kilometre and as the British began to fracture Italy's victory was secured, winning in the fastest time of this years World Championship, 4:09.760.