New Zealand dominated hosts Denmark in the ride for the bronze.

Britain's quartet of Ed Clancy, Steven Burke, Andy Tennant and Ben Swift had set the fastest time in qualifying in a time of 3min 56.869sec.

But despite a late fightback in the final at the 3km mark, just as Australia lost Rohan Dennis, the world record holders and Olympic champions were unable to claw back their early deficit.

In the end Australia set a winning time of 3min 55.654sec, with the British quartet finishing in 3:55.806.

Jack Bobridge, one of the men who will lead their bid for gold at the London Olympics in 2012, said it is a first taste of what could come.

"To do the time we did, it just shows we've got the boys there and hopefully heading towards London we can just get quicker and quicker," he said.

"At the moment, we're absolutely stoked.

"It's been four years trying to get back on top.

"We're not there yet as regards London, but it's an awesome start to where we want to go."

Australia, who sent in points race gold winner Cameron Meyer for the final to replace Leigh Howard, had the Britons playing catch-up by 0.47sec at the one kilometre mark.

That deficit grew to 0.62 four laps later but then fell to 0.44 with four laps remaining.

Britain's endurance coach Dan Hunt admitted the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, especially after he expected his riders to move up a gear in the final kilometre.

But Hunt, like most of Britain's team - who dominated the 2008 Olympics by winning 14 medals including seven of the 10 titles - said the big test of team pursuit supremacy won't come till the London Olympics.

"We just got beat by a better team on the night," Hunt said.

"Obviously they finished with three men but we'd taken it from 0.7 to about 0.4 already, and we always knew it was going to come down to the last three laps.

"To be honest the Aussies got rid of their weak man, and were slowing down, but the rest of the three guys were just too strong."

Bobridge, who won an unwelcome bronze in the men's individual event last night, said they had not panicked when losing Dennis for the final lap.

"We lost Rohan, but he done such an awesome start, he absolutely nailed it, and all his turns right through were just amazing," added Bobridge, who races with Meyer in the Garmin road team.

"He's only 19 and he's got one of the biggest engines I've ever seen in the team pursuit.

"He's unbelievable and he's just getting stronger every year. And the talent of Michael Hepburn, he's only 18.

"I can't wait to see what he's like in London."

It is in London that Britain will unleash a team that could include 2008 Olympic champions Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas, and former sprint specialist Jason Queally.

Hunt added: "the boys are obviously disappointed.

"We don't like being beat in these kinds of events.

"The Aussies have come here and thrown absolutely everything at it, and they've come out on top by a couple of tenths.

"We'll go home and lick our wounds a bit, but we'll be back.

"They're a formidable team.

"But pound for pound, looking on who we've got in the background I'd still back us going into the Olympics."


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