The world record in team persecution had stood since the 2016 Olympic final, when the British team took gold in the time of 4.10,236.

But when the velodrome competitions started today, that record was quickly erased.

For already in the qualifiers of the team persecution, the German team, consisting of of Franziska Brausse, Lisa Brennauer, Lisa Klein and Mieke Koreger hit with the time 4.07,307.

"Destroyed it"

Thus, the German team broke the world record by almost three seconds.

Or, as the British BBC wrote in its live coverage of the competition:

“The record has been completely shattered!

Germany has not only broken the world record, they destroyed it ".

Great Britain, which was the record holder before Germany, was the second fastest team in the qualifiers.

They looked long to be able to take back the record immediately, but in the end were just over 1.7 seconds slower.