Records tumble as Netherlands, Australia light up Olympic velodrome

The Netherlands smashed their own world record twice in defending their Olympic men’s team sprint gold on Tuesday, while Australia fired a warning shot by obliterating the team pursuit mark.

Dutch stars Harrie Lavreysen, Roy van den Berg and Jeffrey Hoogland flew round the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome in a blistering 40.949secs to consign Britain to silver. Australia took the bronze.

That time followed the trio thrilling the capacity crowd with a new world best 41.191 in the heats to better the 41.225 they set at Berlin in 2020.

“It’s crazy,” said Lavreysen, the world’s top sprinter.

“Of course we were going for the gold medal but breaking world records and going under 41, that was really special.

“The track is really fast and we thought we needed to break the record to become Olympic champions.”

Lavreysen is also heavy favourite in the individual sprint and a medal hope in the keirin.

Asked if he felt unbeatable, he replied: “It feels nice going into this week, so let’s see.”

The same three won Olympic gold in Tokyo three years ago, ending the dominant reign of the Jason Kenny-led British team that owned the title in Beijing, London and Rio.

Once again Britain — Ed Lowe, Hamish Turnbull and Jack Carlin — were no match for the speed, strategy and power of a tight Dutch team that has been dominant since 2018 when they claimed their first world title.

Since then they have won four of the subsequent five world championships and now back-to-back Olympic gold medals.

“We came into this expecting to fight for third so as soon as we got into the gold final, all stress was off,” said Turnbull.

“We just tried to express what we could do.”

In the men’s team pursuit, Australia beat Italy in a new world record 3:40.730 to dismantle the previous mark of 3:42.032 and make the gold medal race.

That was set by Italy on their way to the title in Tokyo in the most prestigious event of the track cycling programme.

Extra boost

The Australian team of Oliver Bleddyn, Sam Welsford, Conor Leahy and Kelland O’Brien will meet Britain for gold.

“I think it will be fast again tomorrow,” said Welsford. “With the conditions and with the level of an Olympic final I think you have to find that extra boost.”

Britain — who own the most Olympic medals in men’s team pursuit with 15, winning at Beijing, London and Rio before slumping to seventh in Tokyo — beat Denmark to set up the clash.

There have so far been eight world records on the opening two days of track competition, with five new marks set in the women’s sprint on Monday, led by Britain who won gold.

New Zealand were quickest through women’s team pursuit qualifying in 4:04.679, less than half a second outside Germany’s 2021 world record.

They will meet fourth-placed Italy next while Britain face a United States team boasting Paris road race gold medallist Kristen Faulkner.

The winners of those heats progress to the gold medal showdown.

In an upset, defending champions Germany only came fifth in 4:08.313, leaving their title defence in tatters.

Britain won gold when the event was added to the Olympics in London in 2012 and defended their title in Rio, but they were relegated to second by Germany in Tokyo.