Denmark secured its fourth men’s team pursuit world title at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai, defeating Italy in the final with a time of 3:40.865, according to coverage from multiple Italian sports outlets.
Shanghai Final Dominated by Denmark
The Danish quartet consisting of Bevort, Leth, Madsen, and Pedersen proved insurmountable from the opening kilometer, where they posted a split of 1’01” and established a half-second advantage over the Italian lineup, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported. The winning Danish squad maintained relentless acceleration throughout the ride, finishing within a second of the world record and leaving the Italian team far off their target pace.
Italy fielded a lineup featuring Filippo Ganna, Francesco Lamon, Jonathan Milan, and newcomer Alessio Magagnotti. The Italian quartet crossed the finish line in 3.45.596, finishing over four seconds behind the champions after losing significant ground in the second half of the race, Sky Sport Italia noted. The defeat marks the latest chapter in an ongoing rivalry where the Danish squad has consistently maintained the upper hand in world championship finals.
Bronze Medal Secured by Great Britain
In the ride-off for the bronze medal, Great Britain defeated France to secure the final step of the podium. The British squad posted a time of 3.47.245, capitalizing on a late-race collapse by the French team, which faded significantly in the final kilometer to finish in 3.50.351.
For Filippo Ganna, the silver medal represents his seventh career world championship medal, adding to a count that includes one gold, three silvers, and three bronzes.
Italian Women Also Take Silver in Shanghai
The Italian women’s team pursuit squad also claimed a silver medal at the Shanghai velodrome after facing Great Britain in the gold medal final, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported. Elisa Balsamo, Chiara Consonni, Martina Fidanza, and Vittoria Guazzini established an early advantage of roughly one second over the opening laps before yielding the lead in the second half of the race.
The British women’s quartet crossed the line in 4’04”610 to take the gold medal, while the Italian team finished with a time of 4’09”967. The result marks the fifth medal for the Italian women’s pursuit program since 2021.
