Germany handed team sprint gold as China relegated

Germany's Miriam Welte and Kristina Vogel were crowned inaugural Olympic women's team sprint champions in controversial fashion following the relegation of China at the velodrome Thursday. Guo Shuang and Gong Jinjie had combined to claim an historic first Olympic gold in the two-lap event, the first ever Olympic cycling title for China, only to be relegated soon after for an infringement. It means China were relegated to the silver medal position, with Australia, who beat Ukraine in the battle for third place, winning the bronze. Organisers had yet to make an official announcement, although replays of the final appeared to show the Chinese performing an irregular changeover. They were not the only pair to fall foul of the rules as the women's event event made its Olympic debut. Earlier, Olympic and six-time world sprint champion Victoria Pendleton and Jess Varnish were relegated from the first round for an "irregular change". Pendleton and Varnish were the first to beat Welte and Vogel's world record of 32.549sec, set by the German pair last April, but they were relegated from the first round after qualifying for the gold medal match with China. The setback ended Pendleton's bid for three gold medals at the Games, in which she is also competing in the sprint and keirin. "It's just one of those things that happened. We were probably just a bit too eager and excited for a ride," said a distraught Pendleton. "Now and again rubbish things happen and this is one of those. The only positives I can take is I know I'm in good form." Guo, China's main hope for gold in the sprint and keirin, and Gong looked devastated on hearing the news after it was announced. However they returned to the podium for the medal ceremony, smiling as they collected their silvers. The pair had earlier underlined their gold medal credentials by twice setting a new world record for the two-lap power event in 32.447 and 32.442.