Barker, 22, the Olympic champion in the team pursuit in Rio, had appeared to be well placed to succeed her absent team-mate Laura Kenny as champion. “I kind of wish I’d lost by a little bit of a bigger margin,” said Barker, twice a team pursuit world champion and 2012 junior road time-trial world champion. In the men’s team pursuit Britain reached a ride-off for bronze with Italy after also qualifying in fifth. Two-time Olympic champion Steven Burke and Kian Emadi swapped out between the afternoon qualifying session and the first round, when Mark Stewart and Chris Latham replaced them. Britain will have to continue their quest for a first men’s team sprint world title since 2005.

Source: The Guardian April 12, 2017 09:59 UTC