Katie Archibald struck gold on her return from serious leg injuries as Great Britain successfully defended the women’s team pursuit title at the Cycling World Championships in Denmark.
Archibald’s hopes of more Olympic success in Paris were dashed when she suffered a fractured tibia and fibula, dislocated ankle and ligament damage in a freak accident when stumbling over a step in her garden in June.
The 30-year-old Scot was alongside Josie Knight, Anna Morris and Meg Barker – who joined the line-up for the final in place of Jess Roberts – as Team GB stormed to a victory in Ballerup, reeling in Germany to secure another title.
“It is not [about] words [being back],” Archibald said afterwards to BBC Sport. “It is a deep breath, it is feeling where you are meant to be and a team you are meant to be part of and what a treat to be part of this squad. It is very special.”
It was a second gold of the championships for Great Britain after the women’s success in the team sprint on Wednesday for Olympic champions Sophie Capewell, Emma Finucane and Katy Marchant. However, the men’s team pursuit squad had to settle for silver after slipping to a narrow defeat by hosts Denmark.
Ethan Hayter, Josh Charlton, Charlie Tanfield and Ollie Wood had been in front at 1,000 metres. Denmark, though, gained ground over the closing stages to take the lead when the teams dropped a rider and went on to claim gold – delighting a raucous home crowd.
“We gave it everything in that final and we just lost out a little bit at the finish but I think we got the most out of ourselves and that’s just how it is,” said Tanfield.
Elsewhere, Harry Ledingham-Horn placed fourth in the men’s keirin, while Noah Hobbs was sixth in the scratch race, both men making their world championship debuts. Sophie Lewis suffered an early exit from the elimination race, finishing 15th overall.
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In qualification for the women’s sprint, reigning world champion Finucane and Capewell both progressed to the semi-finals, but Marchant was edged out by Hetty van de Wouw of the Netherlands.
