Team pursuit Brits strike gold

Great Britain's team pursuit squad, featuring the returning Bradley Wiggins, won gold in the final of the Track World Cup in Manchester.

After the women's team pursuit squad won gold on day one and Sir Chris Hoy took the Keirin title on day two, Britain claimed a third gold medal on the final day of the competition.

There was much expected of Wiggins - competing in his first team pursuit since taking the Olympic title in a world record in Beijing in August 2008 - Geraint Thomas, Ed Clancy and Steven Burke in the four-man, four-kilometre event. And the quartet did not disappoint, clocking three minutes 55.438 seconds to take gold. New Zealand finished second in 4mins 00.314secs.

It was Britain's third medal of the day - after men's team sprint bronze for Jason Kenny, Sir Chris Hoy and Matt Crampton and Keirin bronze for Victoria Pendleton - and ninth medal of the competition.

Britain, the world record holders in 3:53.314, had clocked 3:57.471 in advancing to the final as fastest qualifiers and put in a supreme display to take victory by almost five seconds.

Third place went to Spain, with Denmark fourth.

Wiggins had hoped to ride an even faster time.

The 30-year-old Londoner told BBC Sport: "I'm actually a little bit disappointed in the time, which sounds ridiculous. We've just done a 3:55, but I'm a bit surprised we didn't go a bit faster.

"Sunday morning felt so easy but two rides like that in a day in February is fantastic. It's a real step forward for London next year."