Sir Bradley Wiggins
Team England ride for gold in the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome on Thursday.

Sir Bradley Wiggins led England into the team pursuit final against reigning Commonwealth and world champions Australia at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

The quartet of Steven Burke, Ed Clancy, Andy Tennant and four-time Olympic champion Wiggins with renew their rivalry with the Aussie four at around 17:40 BST after qualifying in a time of three minutes and 59.249 seconds.

Australia go in as favourites however having qualified fastest for the final, with the team led by Jack Bobridge and also containing Luke Davidson, Alex Edmondson and Glenn P O'Shea coming through 4000m in three minutes and 57.939 seconds.

A gap of less than two seconds should ensure an entertaining race for gold, as Wiggins looks to mark his return to major track competition in the best way possible.

The 2012 Tour de France winner was unceremoniously dumped by Team Sky earlier this summer, in favour of Chris Froome, while his return to the track comes two years before he attempts to win a fifth Olympic gold at Rio 2016.