British team sets cycling world record

LONDON, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Britain's Dani King, Laura Trott and Joanna Rowsell cycled to a world record Saturday in winning the first Olympic women's team pursuit in history.

The British team defeated the United States in the finals by almost five seconds, grabbing the fourth goal for the host nation in track cycling.

Men have been contesting the team pursuit at the Olympics since 1908, but this was the inaugural women's event.

Teams of three riders start on opposite sides of the track and race for 3 kilometers. If one team catches the other, which seldom happens at the highest level, the race is over.

The British were not far from catching the Americans, however, when they concluded the distance in 3:15.669.

Americans Sarah Hammer, Dotsie Bausch and Jennie Reed settled for the silver medal and the bronze went to Canadians Tara Whitten, Gillian Carleton and Jasmin Glaesser.

The first day of the men's omnium, also a newcomer to the Olympics, was held Saturday and France's Bryan Coquard had the lead.

The event sends the cyclists against each other in six different types of racing. The first place finisher in each of the competitions receives one point, the second place finisher receives two points and on down the line.

After two days and six events, the rider with the fewest number of points wins.

Coquard finished fifth in the flying lap time trial, was fourth in the 30-kilometer points race and was the winner of the elimination race.

Those finishes put together gave him 10 points, three fewer than Elia Viviani of Italy. Glenn O'Shea of Australia was in third with 14 points, followed by Edward Clancy of Britain (17), Lasse Norman Hansen of Denmark (18) and Roger Kluge (19).