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29th Olympic Games - JO
Beijing, China, August 9-23, 2008
Main Page Results Previous Event Next Event
Event 24 - August 17: Men's 4000m Team Pursuit First Round
Great Britain sets new World record
By Rob Jones in Beijing
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In qualifying, Great Britain and New Zealand were the only teams to go under four minutes. But when it came to the first round, with the fastest two going on to race for gold, third and fourth to go for bronze and the rest to go home, the speeds picked up dramatically.
All four teams that moved on to the medal round caught their opponents. Great Britain smashed the world record of 3:56.322, which they set at the world championships in March, by over a second - 3:55.205 . Denmark qualified second at 3:56.831, followed by New Zealand (3:57.536) and Australia (3:58.633), the defending Olympic champions.
Great Britain has said that they will not talk to the media until after the gold medal ride, however, Denmark has all but conceded the title.
"We were very nervous," said Danish team member Michael Moerkoev. "Because New Zealand was our biggest competition [for silver]. Great Britain is far away, way ahead."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Casey Gibson/www.cbgphoto.com
- The Brits looked like a team
- Great Britain sat tightly behind each other.
- The pursuit team didn't only pursue the other team but also the world record – and they caught both!
- The yellow Aussie team lined up in a perfect echelon to advance to the next round.
- Australia gave it full gas ... or did they?
- Great Britain's Team pursuit set the best time and a new world record.
- Denmark was the first team to qualify for the next round.
- New Zealand had the track to itself after they caught the Spanish team
- The black Kiwi team easily advanced to the next round.
- Australia's Team pursuit flies along the Beijing track.
- Great Britain's Team pursuit is off to a new world record
- The Brits are flying at the velodrome.
- The world record setting team pursuit.
- The British flags flying in the Beijing Velodrome.
- The New Zealand pursuit team negotiates a pass.
- The New Zealand team gets its time splits.
Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com
- Denmark claims its heat in the first round after France was disqualified.
- The French were caught and eliminated from the event.
- Denmark goes by the French team.
- Australia overtook the Dutch and will ride against New Zealand in the bronze medal ride tomorrow.
- The Netherlands was caught and eliminated.
- Australia passes the remnants of the Dutch squad.
- New Zealand were in strong form during the third heat.
- New Zealand will go for bronze.
- New Zealand goes by Spain.
- New Zealand goes by Spain's squad, and secures its spot in the bronze medal ride off.
- Russia was caught by Great Britain.
- The Brits caught Russia at the three quater mark.
- Great Britain appears to be unstoppable.
- A world record for Britain after catching the Russian squad.
- 'Gee boys, we set a new world record'. Not a bad day at the office for Great Britain.
Results
Heat 1 1 Denmark 3.56.831 (60.802 km/h) Michael Moerkoev Casper Joergensen Jens-Erik Madsen Alex Nicki Rasmussen DSQ France Damien Gaudin Matthieu Ladagnous Christophe Riblon Nicolas Rousseau Heat 2 1 Australia 3.58.633 (60.343 km/h) Jack Bobridge Graeme Brown Mark Jamieson Bradley McGee caught Netherlands Levi Heimans Jens Mouris Robert Slippens Wim Stroetinga Heat 3 1 New Zealand 3.57.536 (60.622 km/h) Sam Bewley Hayden Roulston Marc Ryan Jesse Sergent caught Spain Sergi Escobar Asier Maeztu David Muntaner Antonio Miguel Parra Heat 4 1 Great Britain 3.55.202 (3:55.202 km/h) Ed Clancy Paul Manning Geraint Thomas Bradley Wiggins caught Russian Fed. Evgeny Kovalev Alexei Markov Alexander Petrovskiy Alexander Serov
