The British cycling team continued their dazzling performance at the Beijing Olympics by breaking the men's team pursuit world record in the first round competition at the Laoshan Velodrome on Sunday.

Led by Bradley Wiggins, the British quartet clocked a new world record of three minutes and 55.202 seconds, breaking the previous record of 3:56.322, set by themselves in the Manchester World Championships in March.

The Britons then set up a race against a quickly improving Danish team for the gold, while team Australia, who beat the British quartet in the Athens Olympic Games final, had to settle for a meeting with New Zealand in the bronze medal final.

Wigggins who successfully defended his Olympic champion in men's individual pursuit on Saturday, combined with Paul Manning, Ed Clancy and Geraint Thomas, comfortably outpaced the opposition, finishing the 4000-meter event in 3:57.101, placing fastest to enter the first round.

If Wiggins wins three medals at the Games, he will become the track cyclist with the most medals in Olympic history, breaking a record that has stood for 104 years.

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2008)