WELSH cycling stars Elinor Barker and Owain Doull had to settle for silver as they represented Great Britain at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Paris tonight.

The GB men’s and women’s team pursuit teams were both beaten into second place in their respective finals.

Barker, Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell and Katie Archibald produced a fantastic effort but were denied a fifth-consecutive world title by a stunning display from Australia, who set a new world record in 4:13.683 to Britain’s 4:16.702 at the French national velodrome.

In the men’s final, an engrossing encounter saw Doull, Ed Clancy, Andy Tennant and Steven Burke exchange the lead throughout the race with New Zealand.

But the Kiwi quartet edged the contest in the final kilometre in a time of 3:54.088 to Britain’s 3:54.687.

After a first defeat in the team pursuit since 2010, Rowsell said: "Definitely better (to lose) this year than next year.

“I was thinking (on the podium), 'Enjoy that while it lasts, girls, it's only going to last a year'."

Trott, previously unbeaten in the event – as were Archibald and Barker – added: "It's disappointing. We are used to being on the top step so it was a different feeling.

“But we rode a PB, quicker than we've ever been before at sea level, and for us that is a massive step.

“It also shows we have work to do. You have to have four girls going good on the same day. And they did.”

After a huge improvement from the 2014 world championships, when Great Britain slumped to eighth, double Olympic champion Clancy said: "It was only a month ago Burkey was lying in the road with a broken collarbone, Doull was cut to ribbons (after being involved in the same crash) and I didn't think we were coming here.

"We had a shocker of an event (in 2014). Understandably we got a fair bit of flack for that. It was a massive improvement.

"Shane (Sutton, GB technical director) said to us this morning, irrespective of what happens today we can do Rio now – and he's right. There's more to come.

"We can't guarantee we'll get out and win, but we've got a chance now and we believe we've got a chance."

In the keirin Jason Kenny was knocked out in the first round despite a battling performance in the repechage.

In the women’s 500m time trial Katy Marchant was 13th in her world-championships debut, Victoria Williamson behind her in 15th.

Matt Gibson was another debutant and the 18-year-old impressed, finishing ninth in the men’s scratch race.

The championships continue on Friday.