Pendleton is unfazed by the pressure

Victoria Pendleton will bid to give Britain a golden kickstart at the Track Cycling World Championships in Apeldoorn, Holland, tonight in the first of her three events, the team sprint.

Such has been Team GB's success on the track in recent years that two bronze medals - in the men's team pursuit and team sprint - proved a disappointing haul on day one of the championships yesterday.

Pendleton and Jess Varnish have their work cut out to topple Australia in the team sprint, one of three golds up for grabs on day two, and Pendleton is not unduly concerned how they perform.

"I'm not worried," said Pendleton. "I'm focusing on getting things right and being in the best condition for London next year."

The women's team pursuit and the men's individual pursuit will be the other medals decided on the track later this evening. Head coach Shane Sutton has taken a gamble in putting relative unknown 20-year-old Dani King into the British pursuit line-up.