Pendleton nearly retired after disappointment at the Olympics

Pendleton beat Russia's Tamilia Abassova in two rides to win the matched sprint in Carson, California.

Steven Cummings, Christopher Newton, Robert Hayes and Paul Manning beat the Netherlands into second place in the pursuit to claim the team's other gold.

The British team has now won five medals with one day of the event left.

Pendleton, 24, nearly gave up after a disappointing display at the Olympics and seemed to be struggling to take on board the size of her achievement.

"It felt a bit surreal going into the final there," she said.

People have been saying "it could be your year" for the last three or four years Steven Cummings

"I don't think I'll believe it until I do it again.

"I think I am very lucky and blessed with all the things I have been given like all the people I have around me on this team."

While she claimed her gold, Australia's Anna Meares beat older sister Kerrie in the third-place race.

Cummings spoke on behalf of the pursuit team when he said how relieved he was to have won gold.

"People have been saying "it could be your year" for the last three or four years so I was trying not to think about it," he said.

"We have always been close and it's just taken that little bit extra on the day and this time we got it right."

In the women's pursuit final, Katie Mactier of Australia defeated compatriot Katherine Bates while Karin Thurig of Switzerland was third, edging Elena Tchalykh of Russia.

Alex Rasmussen of Denmark beat defending champion Greg Henderson of New Zealand in the men's 15km scratch race, while Matthew Gilmore of Belgium was third in the 60-lap race.

The upset of the day happened in the men's sprint quarter-finals, where reigning world champion Theo Bos of the Netherlands, who has already won gold and silver medals at the championships, lost to Australian Jobie Dajka.