New Zealand have won a bronze medal in the women's team pursuit at the track cyling world championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands this morning.

The trio of Alison Shanks, Jaime Nielsen and Kaytee Boyd beat last year's champions Australia in a tight race.

Their time of 3min 24.701sec was a second faster than world record holders the United States, who lost to Britain in the gold medal race.

The British team of Laura Trott, Wendy Houvenaghel and Danielle King were perfectly in synch throughout the race and led from start to finish, gradually building their lead to beat the American team of Sarah Hammer, Dotsie Bausch and Jennie Reed by two seconds.

Britain finished the 3km race in a track record time of 3min 23.419sec.

Feilding's Jesse Sergent was to ride in the final of the individual pursuit later this morning against Australian world record-holder Jack Bobridge.