Shock as Great Britain disqualified from cycling

While Thursday provided Team Great Britain with three golds, it wasn't all glory..

15:18 05 August 2012

While Thursday provided Team Great Britain with three golds, it wasn't all glory: there was a shock disqualification for Britain's Victoria Pendleton and Jess Varnish from the cycle sprint race. 

 

They set the world record in heats (which the Chinese did beat minutes later), but after the officials decided that they overtook outside a specific section of the track, they were struck out of the world level competition. 

 

The Germans will now go forward to the final against China. 

 

The stressful moment came when Pendleton came past Varnish too soon. Just as relay racers can only change in a certain section, the same is true for riders in this competition. 

 

While Varnish's Olympic hopes have been crushed, Pendleton still has a chance - she will still ride for gold in the women's sprint and the keirin. 

 

After the disqualification Pendleton said: "It is just one of those things. Now and again, these things happen.

 

"Overall, we've had a really excellent run and I thought we were in for a gold or silver ride. I guess all I can do now is concentrate on tomorrow.

 

"We were a bit too overwhelmed, a bit too eager. Jess moves up the track and I just come through, I just go. It's not Jess's fault it's not my fault."

 

Upon hearing the news from the officials, she hugged Sir Chris Hoy. 

 

Rob Hayles, Double Olympic medallist and BBC cycling commentator at the Velodrome explained the situation which confused many of the spectators: "I believe it was Victoria Pendleton taking over too early.

 

"There are two points on the straight, and like athletics where you have to hand over the baton, you have to change over within a certain place on the track.

 

"Vicky must not take over before a certain point or after a certain point and they have changed over outside the allocated area on the track."