ROUBAIX (France) • Olympic champions Italy added the men's team pursuit title to their list of impressive victories this year as they defeated hosts France in the final at the track cycling world championships on Thursday.

It was a first world title for the Italians in the men's pursuit for 14 years as Filippo Ganna, Liam Bertazzo, Simone Consonni and Jonathan Milan finished the 4km race at the Roubaix velodrome in 3min 47.192sec, ahead of France's 3:49.168.

Britain took the bronze medal after defeating defending champions Denmark for third place.

"The people by the track showed great support for the French, but we always race to the last metre and to win the rainbow jersey in the same year as we won gold at the Olympics is really important for us," said 25-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider Ganna.

He led the line-up, with Bertazzo preferred here to Francesco Lamon, who was on the Olympic team.

Women's team pursuit Olympic champions Germany claimed the world title as they prevented an Italian double. The German quartet of Franziska Brausse, Lisa Brennauer, Mieke Kroger and Laura Sussemilch finished in 4:08.752, with the Italians some way off the pace in 4:13.690. Britain again picked up the bronze, this time beating Canada to third place.

There was French joy when Donavan Grondin won the men's scratch race ahead of Tuur Dens from Belgium in 16:59.

Meanwhile, Singapore's Elyas Yusoff did not reach the final of the men's kilometre time trial after clocking 1min 4.370sec to finish 22nd of 23 cyclists.

Jeffrey Hoogland of the Netherlands was the top qualifier, finishing in 58.746sec.

REUTERS