IT IS a mark of Rebecca Raybould’s ambition that missing out on a bronze medal ride at her first ever TISSOT UCI Track World Cup comes as somewhat of a disappointment.

The Weymouth teenager – a junior world champion just last year – is only in her second year on the British Cycling senior academy but continued her rapid rise up the global cycling food chain as Team Breeze set the sixth fastest time in team pursuit qualifying in Manchester.

Their unexpectedly fast effort of 4:28.895 in Saturday’s qualifying saw them into a first-round encounter with Russia, knowing that they would need to go faster to make the bronze medal ride yesterday afternoon.

They could only manage 4:31.229 on Sunday morning, however, meaning they finished outside the top four.

“We were a bit disappointed to not get into the bronze medal final – we were hoping to do a better ride than Saturday, but at the end of the day we’re still here for a learning experience and it’s still been really good,” said the 19-year-old.

“We were in the top four for a bit on Saturday and then a bit gutted when we got bumped out.

“We did a much faster time than we were expecting in qualifying.

“We were really pleased with that and when all the teams around us did very similar times we were hopeful that a going a bit faster would push us up – obviously on Sunday that wasn’t meant to be.”

Made up of Raybould, Ellie Dickinson, Abbie Dentus, Jess Roberts and Jenny Holl – the eldest of whom is 20 – they formed what is effectively Great Britain’s development team in Manchester.

They looked on as their senior colleagues marched into the gold medal ride yesterday, and Raybould is keen to follow in their pedal strokes – as early as next April’s Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast.

“The whole experience has been really good, I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s a nice feeling that you’re part of the world level,” she concluded.

“We’re always training with the senior girls and trying to learn from the podium team to make ourselves better in our team pursuit as well.

“I’m definitely looking to be in that team at some point.

“I’ve got more track training through the winter and then hopefully I can get to the Commonwealth Games and ride for England – that’s my big goal.”

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