Cycling: Hoy hopes ruined by pedal problem

(reuters)

Sir Chris Hoy's Midas touch deserted him last night as a pedal problem derailed his bid for a 10th World Championships gold in Copenhagen.

At the venue where the four-time Olympic champion won his first world champion's rainbow jersey in 2002 and suffered a career-threatening hip injury on Valentine's Day in 2009, Hoy's rhythm appeared to be upset by a problem with his pedal prior to the start of Britain's qualification ride in the men's team sprint.

The British trio of Jason Kenny, Ross Edgar and Hoy were third behind France and Germany, before beating China to bronze in a restarted race for the podium after Kenny recovered when his foot came out of the pedal.

Wendy Houvenaghel won Britain's first medal of the opening day of the championships, but could only claim her second successive silver medal in the women's individual pursuit. The Northern Irishwoman, who now lives in Cornwall, won Olympic silver behind team-mate Rebecca Romero in Beijing and was runner-up at the 2009 World Championships after qualifying fastest.

The 35-year-old former dentist was denied top spot on the podium for a third time as Sarah Hammer of the United States clocked 3 minutes 28.601 seconds to win by almost four seconds.