NZ women's team pursuit cycling record broken

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New Zealand track cycling world records are falling like flies, with the women's team pursuit the latest to see their time at this year's world championships eclipsed.

Two days after Sarah Ulmer's 2004 individual pursuit record was broken, the United States women have gone nearly two seconds quicker than what the New Zealand team of Alison Shanks, Rushlee Buchanan and Lauren Ellis achieved in their bronze medal ride at Copenhagen in March.

Their time of 3min 21.552sec was well beaten today by Americans Sarah Hammer, Dotsie Bausch and Lauren Tamayo at the Pan American championships.

The trio clocked a remarkable 3min 19.569sec to set the unofficial record.

The mark, like Hammer's ride to surpass Ulmer on Tuesday, is unofficial until ratified by international governing body, the UCI.

Buchanan was impressed by the US team's time but undaunted.

"It's a good time for sure, but counting altitude and an obviously very very fast track, it's all relative," Buchanan told website roadcycling.co.nz.

"I think until all the best teams get together again at the next world championships or a World Cup and we are all on a level playing field, the record is open to be broken. I'm not taking anything away from the USA team, they have gone very fast. We will peak for next year's worlds and may the best team win again."

- NZPA