Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France) (AFP) - Germany’s Franziska Brausse said she had “suffered” to win the women’s individual pursuit at the track cycling world championships on Saturday after two podium finishes in as many years.

Brausse, 23, who was second in Roubaix 12 months ago and third in Berlin in 2020, pipped New Zealand’s Bryony Botha at the velodrome near Paris which will be used for the 2024 Olympics.

“It was bronze, then silver, so today it had to be gold. It was a super hard fight to get this jersey and the gold medal,” Brausse said.

“On the first kilometre I was trying to break the world record but after six laps I could really feel the qualification heats in my legs.

“I was really suffering and I don’t know how I finished the race, I know nothing about the last lap.”

Britain’s Josie Knight claimed bronze ahead of Brausse’s compatriot Mieke Kroeger.

Earlier, Belgian pair Lotte Kopecky and Shari Bossuyt edged France’s Clara Copponi and Valentine Fortin by a point to clinch the women’s madison.

The home favourites were initially declared champions by the unconfirmed results before third-placed Denmark were awarded points, meaning the French pair lost out on gold.

“Our coach said, ‘No you’re winning’, but on the screen it was something different,” Bossuyt said.

“They then told us we won, I don’t know what that feeling is.”

Elsewhere, French 20-year-old Marie-Divine Kouame took women’s 500m glory ahead of German Emma Hinze and Chinese rider Guo Yufang.

Britain’s Ethan Hayter retained his men’s omnium crown as the Ineos Grenadiers rider beat Frenchman Benjamin Thomas and Kiwi Aaron Gate.

“There’s more pressure coming into it defending the title,” 24-year-old Hayter said.

“The field here was super strong, it came down to the last few laps and I managed to get the edge.”

During Sunday’s final day of action, the highlights will include the women’s keirin and men’s sprint.

On Friday, Italy’s Filippo Ganna set a new world record on his way to a fifth world title in the men’s individual pursuit.