Great Britain's women are targeting a third straight team pursuit world title in Chile this month.
2025 Track Cycling World Championships
Venue: Velodromo Penalolen, Santiago, Chile Date: 22-26 October
Coverage: BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport Website & App
Great Britain are targeting a third straight world title in the women's team pursuit at the World Track Cycling Championships in Chile.
The British team took gold at Glasgow in 2023 before successfully defending their title in Denmark in 2024. The 2025 event takes place in Santiago from Wednesday 22 to Sunday 26 October.
Josie Knight, Jess Roberts, Katie Archibald, Anna Morris and Megan Barker return to take aim at gold once more, while Maddie Leech will make her World Championship debut after narrowly missing out on the women's omnium European title earlier this year.
Britain have dominated the women's team pursuit since its inception in 2008, winning eight gold medals, six silvers and two bronzes, failing to win a medal just once.
With the sustained success of the British team, Knight says she understands the pressure on the squad.
"It's just something that has come from the history of the event and the riders that have come before us," she said.
"They have set this precedent that British Cycling is one of the best teams in the world.
"Sometimes you can find yourselves thinking, 'How did we end up being these people?'
"You've had Laura Kenny and Elinor Barker and Joanna Rowsell setting such a standard for us that we want to keep that going."
Dame Laura Kenny won five Olympic and seven World Championship gold medals while Barker won Rio Olympic gold to go with seven world titles. Joe Rowsell is a double Olympic and five-time world champion.
"People look at us as the best, whether or not we are," added Knight. "So we just have to take confidence from that and know that as much as we're looking at other nations, they're all looking at us.
"Nine times out of 10 we can do it, so we've got hope.
"I don't want to jinx anything but it would be really nice to win it three times in a row, that would be something special."
Roberts was part of the 2024 team and says the competition will be tough in Santiago: "Everyone is so strong, I guess we're thinking about other teams as well.
"The strength in women's cycling now is really high, you've all just got to bring your A-game really."
With the addition of 22-year-old Leech, the make-up of the four riding in the team could look different again, but it is a challenge the squad are relishing.
Knight admits change bring challenges but believes they have the backing to deal with them.
"I think with the programme we have here at British Cycling, with the podium potential and the younger riders and the people in charge of coaching them, you know that whenever a younger one comes up they know what they're doing, they've done it," she said
"They may have done it at a slower speed but you can instantly have that trust in them, so it's never a trust thing.
"It's just learning how someone does ride, it comes with it's challenges but it's part of the event and the beauty of team pursuit."
As well as the team pursuit, all the riders in the women's endurance team will also compete in individual events.
Knight will be seeking glory in the individual pursuit but will face stiff competition from fellow GB team member Morris, who has set two world records in the event this year.
Roberts will be looking to go one better from the silver she won in the omnium last year.
Chasing rainbows again
The rainbow jersey is the distinctive racing top worn by a reigning world champion in a cycling discipline, a tradition that has been going since 1927.
However, neither Roberts nor Knight have ridden with the rainbow stripes this year, with both taking a break from competition after the Paris 2024 Olympic cycle.
"I won in the team pursuit in Glasgow in front of a home crowd and that was the year before the Olympic games," said Knight.
"That was quite a lot of racing, so every time you pulled them on it was something special.
"I think that's what's really unique about cycling because when you win a world title, you have the special jersey to wear.
"Neither of us have really raced this year so we've not got to wear them, so we're making the most of it in training now - you won't see me on the track not in them."
The sentiment is echoed by Roberts: "I haven't raced in them so I'd love to, we'd love to win it again and hopefully actually race in it next year.
"Like Josie I'm just trying to wear it [the rainbow jersey] in training."
The ambition remains clear for the team as the prepare for the Santiago track.
"We all want to go and win that's what we're going there for," said Roberts.
"We're looking to put three solid rides together that we're proud of.
"You've got to look at how we execute it as well and that's all you can do, but for sure we're going for the rainbows."
Category: General Sports
