Wiggins settles for silver on return

Former Tour de France winner fails to help England to a gold in the 4,000m team pursuit in the Commonwealth Games.

England's team pursuit squad were second best to Australia who grabbed gold [Reuters]

Bradley Wiggins had to settle for the silver medal on his return to track cycling as England were beaten by Australia in the Commonwealth Games 4,000 metres team pursuit.

Wiggins, the 2012 Tour de France winner who was left out of this year’s edition by Team Sky, had pinned all his hopes on the track event after opting out of the road race and the time trail.

But he, Ed Clancy, Andy Tennant and Steven Burke were well beaten at the Chris Hoy Velodrome by Jack Bobridge, Luke Davison, Alex Edmondson and Glenn O’Shea who won in a time of three minutes 55 seconds.

 Gold Silver Bronze 
England 6
Australia 5 3 7
Scotland 
India 
Canada 

Elsewhere, Anna Meares claimed her fifth Commonwealth gold as she won the 500 metres time trial to move level with fellow Australian Bradley McGee as the most successful track cyclist in the Games.

The 30-year-old Meares, Australia’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony, clocked a Games record 33.43 seconds in the 500.

Compatriot Stephanie Morton took the silver while England’s Jessica Varnish grabbed bronze.

New Zealand snatched gold in the team sprint final with a time of 43.18 seconds, beating an England team that included Olympic champions Jason Kenny and Philip Hines.

Earlier, Scottish sisters Kimberley and Louise Renicks landed the host nation’s first gold medals of the CommonwealthGames by claiming judo victories an hour apart.

Kimberley, 26, was first to get her hands on a title after beating India’s Sushila Likmabam with an ippon in the -48kg weight category at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre.

Louise, 31, then followed up by overcoming England’s Kelly Edwards in a tense -52kg final.