Olympic cycling recap, Aug. 5: Track disciplines get underway with women’s team sprint

Great Britain sets a world record during the women

Great Britain sets a world record during the women’s team sprint qualification round. – Credit: Alex Broadway/Getty Images

Monday at Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, saw the start of the track cycling disciplines at the 2024 Paris Games, with three different track cycling events being held: the men’s team pursuit qualifications, the men’s team sprint qualification and the women’s team sprint event in its entirety. Results will be updated throughout the competition.

Women’s team sprint: Qualification results

RESULTS

This is the first Olympic Games where teams are riding with three members instead of two. The qualification round determines seeding for the first round, with the top four finishers facing the bottom four finishers in head-to-head matchups.

The most surprising note was three-time world champion Germany finished third in the round. Great Britain finished on top, followed by New Zealand. Netherland finished fourth to round out the top qualifiers.

China finished a surprising fifth, after a false start maybe rattled the team on the start.

Matchups for the first round:
Great Britain vs. Canada
New Zealand vs. Poland
Germany vs. Mexico
Netherlands vs. China

Men’s team pursuit: Qualification results

RESULTS

Paris marks the 26th appearance of the team pursuit in the Olympics. Ten teams would race in the time trial round with only eight advancing to the head-to-head first round.

Australia surprised with the fastest time of the day at 3:42.958. The Aussies have finished on the podium for four-straight Olympics, having earned bronze in Tokyo.

Expected medal contenders Great Britain, Denmark and Italy rounded out the top four. Olympic champions Italy had a tough qualifying race after a miscalculation with the number of riders remaining, but held on for the fourth-place finish.

France stepped up to the track to a loud applause from the crowd. It’s the first Olympic track appearance from France since 2008 and they’d finish fifth overall, a great finish for the French. Their time of 3:45.514 was a national record for the host nation.

Matchups for the first round:
Australia vs. Canada
Great Britain vs. Belgium
Denmark vs. New Zealand
Italy vs. France