Australia fastest in qualifying to take edge into gold medal ride for team pursuit

The antipodeans showed they will be force in London, with the New Zealand women's team, and the Australian men clocking the fastest times in the qualifying round of the team pursuits.

The New Zealand trio of Alison Shanks, Jaime Nielsen and Lauren Ellis clocked 3:24.005 on a windy Cali Velodrome which is roofed but open to the elements on the sides.

New Zealand will ride off against Great Britain in the final tomorrow with the British boasting two of their world champion squad in the line-up.

World champion silver medallists USA, with two of their three riders back, will take on Lithuania for the bronze medal with the much vaunted Australian and Canadian teams missing out.

In the men's race meanwhile, reigning world champions Australia were the class of the field when they recorded 4:02.739 in the windy conditions. Their line-up included world under 23 time trial champion Luke Durbridge and fellow team pursuit world champions Rohan Dennis, and Michael Hepburn.

The New Zealand quartet of Jesse Sergent, Sam Bewley, Marc Ryan and Aaron Gate were second fastest in 4:04.612, comfortably ahead of Colombia and Denmark who will fight it out for the bronze medal.

Tomorrow's first full day of competition includes the first day of the men's omnium, team sprint, men's kilo time trial and finals of the team pursuit.