An enthralling year of high intensity competition, culminating with the Olympics, is currently being teed up beautifully at the London velodrome with favourites for the team pursuit, Great Britain and Australia, going head-to-head over four days of action as part of one of the most eagerly anticipated test events to date.

Both the men and women's squads from both nations last night qualified for Sunday's final of one of the most spectacular events on the track cycling agenda.

Britain's gold rush on the track in Beijing was one of the most defining aspects of the last games from a home nations perspective. And much is expected of them this summer.

Britain has strong medal hopes across all disciplines in the saddle, none more so than the team pursuit.

The race is run over 4km (16 laps) for men and 3km for women, who have three riders instead of the four in a squad, with the competing teams starting on opposite sides of the track.

The object is to either catch up with your opponents or ride the fastest time with the clock stopped when the third rider crosses the line.

Riders ride in close formation, switching lead riders every lap to share the workload. Changeovers can only ever be made on the bends. Streamlining is massively important and the ideal is always for the four to move and think as one.

During the race wheels will be about an inch apart. The old pros sometimes say they actually like to feel the back wheel of the rider in front on their front wheel – at least then they know where it is.

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Graphic: Anatomy of a team pursuit track cycling team