Queally on his way to gold

The team sprint competition is a three-lap race in which the first two cyclists lead out the third to sprint home on the final lap.

Earlier Queally had shown no ill effects from his individual heroics in the 1km time trial as he anchored Britain's trio in the heats.

In the first round, Queally took the team home in 44.659 seconds, a British record, after Hoy and MacLean had led the trio round the first two laps.

In the second round the trio set another British record time of 44.517 racing against Slovakia and qualified in the second fastest time to reach the final against favourites France.

Silver medallists behind France at last year's world championships, the French proved just too good again.

More British success

And Britain's cycling success continued when Yvonne McGregor reached the semi-final of the women's individual pursuit.

The 39-year-old from Wilmslow, who finished fourth in Atlanta, covered the 3000 metres in 3.35.492, the third fastest qualifying time of the 12 competitors.

The former Commonwealth Games gold medallist will race off against France's Marion Clignet in the semi-finals later on Sunday.

Leontien Zijlaard, of the Netherlands, set a new Olympic record of 3:31.570 in the fourth heat to qualify three seconds faster than anyone else, although only two seconds separated second and fourth.