New Zealand has won the country's first ever men's team pursuit world track cycling title, pipping Great Britain to claim gold at the World Track Cycling Championships in Paris.
New Zealand men's track pursuit cycle team in action in 2014. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The New Zealand team of Pieter Bulling, Alex Frame, Dylan Kennett and Regan Gough smashed the New Zealand national record in winning the final.
The team has an average age of just 20 and won with a time of 3:54:088.
New Zealand started well but lost the lead midway through the event, only to power home in the last couple of laps to take the win by just over half a second.
It is the first time in their history that New Zealand has won the team pursuit gold medal.
Earlier the Southland rider Eddie Dawkins picked up his second silver medal of the championships. After finishing second in the team sprint on Thursday, Dawkins grabbed silver in the Keirin final.
Dawkins forced his way through from the inside on the final bend but could not catch Frenchman Francois Pervis, who defended the world title he won in Cali last year.
Fellow New Zealander Sam Webster was caught at the back and blocked in his wide run to get to the front and finished sixth.
The women's pursuit team of Lauren Ellis, Rushlee Buchanan, Jaimee Nielsen and Racquel Sheath finished fourth, beaten by Canada in the bronze medal ride.
The men's sprint team won silver in controversial circumstances on Thursday, relegated from the gold after being ruled to have made an illegal changeover. Hosts France were upgraded to the gold.
