MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Reigning champions Britain defended their team pursuit title in a new official world record time of 3min 56.322sec at the world track cycling championships here on Thursday.

Denmark finished second to claim the silver medal while Australia overcame some late race drama in their duel with New Zealand to claim the bronze.

Australia, the Olympic champions, had set the previous world record in the 16-lap 4km event in a time of 3:56.610 in Athens in 2004 and they were quick to congratulate their new world pacesetters.

Denmark had posted the fastest time of qualifying in 3min 57.734sec to claim their place in the final as Britain, the only other team to go below the four-minute mark, clocked 3:58.983.

However the Danes, one of the up and coming powers in the endurance event, quickly lost touch as the British quartet of Edward Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Paul Manning and Bradley Wiggins powered their way around the boards.

After a quarter of the race Denmark were already 0.527sec behind the leading pace and by the halfway mark they had slipped to 1.162 behind. They then lost Michael Faerk Christensen in the last quarter of the race.

Britain stayed focused on their task, and the quartet finally came over the finish line to rapturous applause.

It is Wiggins' second gold medal in as many days having defended his individual pursuit crown on Wednesday.

Britain's thus pick up their third world title in the team pursuit, following their victories in 2007 and 2005.