Team Pursuit World Record Within Reach

Britain tops medal table at European Championships, writes Vern Pitt

- Vern Pitt

The world record in the women’s team pursuit could well dip below the four-minute 10-second mark before Tokyo, according to new European champion in the event, Elinor Barker, after the British quartet set the second fastest time in history.

The women’s team pursuit quartet of Neah Evans, Josie Knight, Katie Archibald and Laura Kenny became just the second team to go under four minutes 11 seconds in the final against Italy. Barker had ridden the qualifying rounds but was swapped out for the final.

Unlike the men’s team pursuit world record, which has fallen five times since Rio and is now more than five seconds lower than it was at the last Olympics, the women’s mark remains the 4.10.236 set by Great Britain in Brazil.

Barker said: “Depending on what racing happens between now and Tokyo, I think there’s potential for it to fall before the Olympics.

“Whether that’s another team or us I don’t know, I do think a number of teams have been knocking on the door of it. It’s going to go someday soon.”