Bobridge to defend pursuit title

World record holder Jack Bobridge will defend his individual pursuit title against Australian compatriot Michael Hepburn at the world track cycling championships later Saturday. Bobridge, who holds the world's best time of 4min 10.534sec for the 4km, 16-lap event, qualified for the final in the second fastest time of 4:14.783. In their all-Australian qualifying heat Hepburn edged Bobridge to top the field in 4:13.224. Another Australian, Rohan Dennis, qualified third fastest in 4:16.051 and will meet New Zealand's Westley Gough, who clocked 4:17.001, in the bronze medal match. Bobridge, Hepburn and Dennis are an integral part of Australia's four-man pursuit team that won silver behind record-setting Britain on the opening day Wednesday. None of Britain's pursuit specialists qualified for the medal rounds of the individual event, which is no longer on the Olympic programme. Welshman Geraint Thomas was Britain's only representative and finished in 4:17.265.