There were nine medals, including four gold, for the Great Britain Cycling Team on an outstanding day of racing at the HSBC UK National Cycling Centre.

World champion Jon Gildea took gold in the men’s C5, catching team-mate Will Bjergfelt in the final just after three kilometres.

Speaking afterwards Gildea said:

“The pursuit is my favourite event and it’s the first I’ve done since I was in LA (for the world championships), so it’s great to get riding again and get the gold here.

“It’s fantastic to ride for the Great Britain Cycling Team and I’m incredibly proud to wear the rainbow stripes on my home track.”

Louis Rolfe defeated promising newcomer Matthew Robertson to win the first gold of the evening, catching him in the men’s C2 final to claim his second medal of the weekend, with Dave Smith joining him on the podium after taking a brilliant bronze medal by defeating Ireland’s Chris Burns.

Riding in his first competition for the Great Britain Cycling Team in two years Smith was surprised to find himself on the podium:

“I didn’t expect to be here. I’ve only been training three months. I thought I’ll do one pursuit and then I’ll sit and watch Louis (Rolfe) in the stands tonight and ended up with a ride off for bronze, so I just wanted to focus on the processes and see what happened.

“Thanks for the massive support from everyone who came along tonight. It got me round those 12 laps and I’m just really chuffed to be here.”

Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall were comfortable winners in the women’s tandem pursuit, catching the Belgian duo of Griet Hoet and Anneleen Monsieur to pick up their second medal of the weekend, following last night’s bronze in the tandem kilo.

There was also a first career track cycling medal for Ben Watson, who took silver in the men’s C3 competition, finishing three and a half seconds adrift of Spanish rider Eduardo Asensio Santas.

Megan Giglia made a fantastic return to track competition, taking gold in the C1-3 500 metre time trial – an event which she won the rainbow jersey in last year.

In a repeat of the morning’s qualification ride Jody Cundy took on former Great Britain Cycling Team rider Jaco Van Gass in the C4 gold medal final, and it was Van Gass who prevailed on both occasions, catching Cundy in the final to take gold.

In the final event of the evening Steve Bate and pilot Adam Duggleby, Paralympic gold medallists and world record holders in the tandem pursuit, won a silver medal, missing out on gold to the Dutch pairing of Patrick Bos and Tristan Bangma.