Pervis came into the Championships, organised by the International Cycling Union, defending the three world titles he won last year in Colombian city Cali and the 31-year-old has successfully retained his keirin and kilo crowns, while the defence of his men's sprint title is due to take place tomorrow and Sunday (February 22).

His time of 1min 0.207sec proved enough to secure gold in the 1 kilometre time trial, a discipline controversially removed from the Olympic programme after Athens 2004.

Pervis mark was only 0.087 seconds faster than Germany's Joachim Eilers, who claimed silver for the second consecutive year behind the Frenchman, while the bronze medal was won by New Zealand's Matthew Archibald in a tightly fought competition that saw first and fifth separated by less than a second.

The result secured a third gold medal for France in the men's sprint races, but it is Australia who have dominated the women's pursuit events, as they secured two more medals in the individual pursuit to go alongside yesterday's team pursuit gold and world record.

Rebecca Wiasak rode to victory in the women's individual pursuit at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Paris to continue Australia's domination ©AFP/Getty Images



Firstly, Amy Cure having qualified third fastest from the qualification round faced Britain's Joanna Roswell, the winner of last year's title, in the race for the bronze medal.

Cure showed no ill-effects from her exertions in three team pursuit rides to finish nearly four seconds ahead of Rowsell, in 3:32.907, ensuring the recently crowned Australian Institute of Sport Junior Athlete of the Year claimed a bronze medal.

The gold medal ride pitted another Australian Rebecca Wiasak against 21-year-old Jennifer Valente of the Unite States, who took an surprise early advantage.

But Wiasak remained glued to her schedule for the 3km event and, having paced the ride expertly, was able to turn the tables on the American.

Wiasak's time of 3:30.305 saw her finish 3.562 seconds ahead of her rival, a result which gave her a maiden world title.

The men's 30km points race was the only remaining medal event of the night with Russia's Artur Ershov taking gold in a race that went to the wire.

Alongside King Lok Cheung of Hong Kong and Regan Gough of New Zealand, Ershov gained a lap the field, a feat which earned the riders 20 points and put them in the mix for the title, with 77 laps of the 120 lap event remaining.

Colombia's Fernando Gaviria leads the men's omnium at the halfway stage but has Italian and French rivals waiting to pounce in the second half of the competition ©AFP/Getty Images



After three other men secured a lap gain the race went down to the final sprints, but the 11 points Ershov earned in the sprints proved decisive, as his points total of 31 narrowly beat Eloy Teruel's 30, which saw the Spaniard take silver.

Germany's Maximilian Beyer took bronze ahead of 18-year-old New Zealander Regan Gough on countback, after both men ended the race on 29 points.

At the halfway stage of the men's omnium Fernando Gaviria of Colombia leads the standings on 110 points from three events, but is being chased by Italy's Elia Viviani and France's Thomas Boudat, after the two men came first and second respectively in the thrilling elimination race.

The women's sprint competition will also draw to a close tomorrow with defending champion Kristina Vogel of Germany looking to fight off competition from Australia's Stephanie Morton, China's Tianshi Zhong and The Netherlands Elis Ligtlee, after the four women reached the semi final stage.

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