WORLD CUP SERIES, MANCHESTER
Venue: Manchester Velodrome Dates: 30 Oct - 1 Nov
Coverage:Watch live on BBC Two, the red button and BBC Sport website (UK only); live commentary on BBC 5 live sports extra Thomas storms to victory in pursuit Great Britain dominated the opening day of the Track World Cup in Manchester with four track golds at the Velodrome. Geraint Thomas, who earlier set the second fastest individual pursuit time in history, dominated his final in only his third race in the event. In his first international meet since injuring a hip in a crash eight months ago, Sir Chris Hoy won the keirin. Chris Newton was in fine form in his points race win and the night ended with Victoria Pendleton's sprint gold. In an event being used as qualification for next March's World Championships, Thomas begun the day in stunning fashion by clocking four minutes 15.015 seconds in the second round of the 4km pursuit.  | 606: DEBATE |
It was the quickest ride since Chris Boardman's world record in August 1996. The 23-year-old Welshman then went on to catch Belgium's Dominique Cornu in the final with two laps remaining. Thomas, still relatively new to the event after his Olympic gold last year in the team pursuit, told BBC Sport: "I knew it was fast. I was just having a go. Hoy powers to keirin gold "Since Beijing I have just wanted to focus on this event and have a crack at it for the Worlds - even though it won't be at the 2012 Games. The time was irrelevant - it was all about winning." More Union Jacks were soon waving in the Manchester Velodrome and it was the Hoy family once again cheering their son - now a Knight - following his three golds in Beijing 14 months ago. The 33-year-old from Edinburgh is also racing in the sprint and team sprint. With Hoy aiming to qualify for next March's World Championships with medals in all three events, gold in the keirin on Friday was rarely in doubt - leaving it late to progress in the semi before turning on the style in the final. With his hip injury keeping him out of the saddle for 10 weeks, Hoy was delighted to win and beat off the likes of world champion Maximilian Levy of Germany. "It was great," said Hoy. "I could see him creeping up and it's nice to be back to winning ways. "I knew I had good form. To get a gold in my first time back is nice and a reminder for the younger guys still around!" Newton clinches points race gold Beijing bronze medal winner and former world champion Chris Newton performed brilliantly to win the men's points race. In the women's sprint, Olympic and world champion Victoria Pendleton was the only rider to dip below 11 seconds in qualification but had to fight all the way to secure her gold. The 29-year-old from Bedfordshire went past Olga Panarina of Belarus in the semi-final after losing the first race and was then taken to a third and deciding sprint in the final to pip China's Shuang Guo on the line. Pendleton, who will also be racing in the keirin in Manchester, said: "My tactical skills are a bit rusty. I've got the legs but my skills need polishing before the World Championships." Pendleton snatches sprint gold David Daniell recorded a time of 1:01.698 to pick up silver in the 1km time-trial behind world champion Stefan Nimke, of Germany, who clocked 1:01.293. It did not all go to plan for Britain's riders with Lizzie Armitstead, the world silver medallist, finishing 10th in the women's scratch race, while Jason Kenny, Jess Varnish and Becky James were eliminated early from their events.
Team Sky+HD: Ross Edgar, Chris Hoy, Peter Mitchell, Victoria Pendleton, Jamie Staff Team GB: Lizzie Armitstead, Steven Burke, Ed Clancy, Matt Crampton, David Daniell, Wendy Houvenaghel, Rebecca James, Jason Kenny, Chris Newton, Joanna Rowsell, Ben Swift, Andy Tennant, Geraint Thomas, Jess Varnish
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