Australia is assured of the gold medal in the women's 3km individual pursuit at the UCI world track cycling championships after Katie Mactier and Katherine Bates qualified for the final.

Bos was the man in sprint qualifying

Photo: Casey Gibson

Theo Bos of the Netherlands, meanwhile, rocketed to a 10.192 in 200-meter sprint qualifying and will look to add a second gold medal to the one he collected on Friday in the kilometer time trial.

Mactier posted the best time of the Saturday-morning session at the ADT Center velodrome in Carson, California, finishing well ahead of her compatriot in 3 minutes, 38.325 seconds. Bates was second in 3:41.676.

Massie was having an off day, too

Photo: Casey Gibson

The two will duel for the gold in the evening session while Switzerland's Karin Thurig (3:42.452) and Russian Elena Tchalykh (3:43.058) fight it out for the bronze.

U.S. rider Erin Mirabella placed ninth in 3:49.157, not good enough to make the medal rounds.

. . . the Netherlands were right behind them

Photo: Casey Gibson

“I could definitely feel last night in my legs a little bit,” she said, referring to her points-race competition. “Since I was a little disappointed in yesterday’s race, sleep was a little difficult last night.”

Countryman Giddeon Massie also failed to advance. The 2004 Pan American champion’s time of 10.919 seconds in the sprint qualifying was only good enough for 21st place, and just 16 riders will advance to the evening session’s first round.

“I just wasn’t able to put it together during the ride,” Massie said. “I knew what I had coming in. I had a little bit of trouble with my back a few weeks before which may or may not have affected me.”

And finally, Great Britain turned in the fastest team pursuit (4:08.569) to set up a gold-medal showdown with the Netherlands (4:09.483). Australia (4:10.072) and New Zealand (4:10.698) will race for bronze.