Izu (Japan) (AFP)

The French track cycling team began its Olympic Games on Monday with a big smile: in qualifying, the chasers smashed the French record and achieved their chronometer goal.

On a seemingly very fast track - where two world records fell before China claimed gold in women's team sprint - Marion Borras, Valentine Fortin, Victoire Berteau and Marie Le Net lowered the national record by almost five seconds , in 4 min 12 sec 502/100.

The old mark was 4:17:37, established in November 2019 during a World Cup round in Minsk (Belarus).

The coaches had set the chasers a time target of 4 min 13 or 14 sec for the Games, played in the superb Izu velodrome, 145 km from Tokyo, in front of partially filled stands, the health standards being different from those of the capital.

"The goal has been reached, jubilee Berteau, 4'12" 5 is huge, we were here to set a good time and from the first day we take it out ".

It remains to be seen whether the French have room for improvement for the end of the tournament on Tuesday: "It's always difficult to say, but we are very proud of what we have done now, and tomorrow is just a bonus" , dropped Berteau.

Steven Henry, the trainer of the endurance group, had not put any pressure on the chasers, not setting them any goal of place or medal: "We have a very young team, an average age of less than 22 years" , he said, "qualifying for the Games was already a good step forward and it is a team that will come to learn with a more chronometric objective, around 4 min 13, 4 min 14 seconds".

- The first title to China -

The contract already fulfilled, the Habs will be able to indulge their spirit on Tuesday in the table for the 5th to 8th places, where they will first be opposed to Canada.

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The favorites for gold will be the Germans, who lowered the world record by nearly three seconds in qualifying, in 4:07 sec 307/100.

The old record, over the distance of 4 km, was held by Great Britain since the Olympic Games in Rio, in 4 min 10 sec 236/100.

Two other teams also fell below the old world record: the British (4 min 09 sec 022/100) and the Americans (4 min 10 sec 118/100).

The only medal on the first day of the track was that of the women's team sprint.

Chinese pair Bao Shanju / Zhong Tianshi took gold by beating Germany's Lea Friedrich / Emma Hinze in the final.

The Chinese had broken the world record in qualifying (31 sec 804/100 for the 500m) but did not improve their time in the final (31 sec 895/100).

The Russian team (under the neutral flag) beat the Netherlands for bronze.

© 2021 AFP