Barker’s silver not shining

the 3,000-capacity crowd roaring her on, she was just beaten on the line by Italy’s fast-finishing Rachele Barbieri, with Belgium’s Jolien D’Hoore third.

There was disappointment for Britain in the team sprint and the all-new squad of Jack Carlin, 19, Ryan Owens, 21, and Joseph Truman, 20.

The trio were third-fastest in qualifying but failed in their first-round match-up with the Netherlands, who later took silver behind New Zealand.

The trio had won two golds in November World Cup meetings – their first at senior level – but missed out on a medal race in an event Britain have now not won at the Worlds since 2005.

Andy Tennant, Mark Stewart, Ollie Wood and Chris Latham qualified for today’s bronze medal race against the Italians

in the team pursuit. The British quartet had been caught in their heats by Australia, who quickly threw down the gauntlet for this Olympic cycle. The Aussies’ time was just shy of the world record Britain set in Rio in 3min 50.577secs, more than eight seconds quicker than the Brits.

Away from Hong Kong, it was revealed that Mark Cavendish, 31, will be battling to be fit for July’s Tour de France after being struck down by glandular fever.

He has withdrawn from all of his coming races after a blood test revealed he had the virus.

The Manxman can still ride but doctors told him to wear a monitor to ensure his heart rate does not exceed 110bpm.

Cavendish needs four more stage wins to equal Eddy Merckx’s record of 34 at the Tour, which starts in Dusseldorf on July 1. His wife Peta tweeted: “Just the year that keeps on giving of injuries and illness.”