The Chinese pairing of Jinjie Gong and Tianshi Zhong faced Australia opposition in the women’s final, just as they had in Colombian city Cali, but they were handed a boost with 11-time world champion Anna Meares absent for their rivals due a back injury.

Kaarle McCulloch replaced Meares in the Australian line up but, despite finishing in a time of 33.200sec, they were unable to claim gold as Gong and Zhong clocked 32.682.

Laurine van Riessen and Elis Ligtlee completed the podium positions after the Dutch cyclists posted a time of 33.433 to see off the challenge of Germany’s Miriam Welte and Emma Hinze in the bronze medal ride.

Germany, though, were able to celebrate success in the men’s event after Rene Enders, Max Niederlag and Joachim Eilers edged out the home favourites Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Ed Dawkins to claim gold in 43.130.

The podium was completed by Australia after they posted a time of 43.733 to beat Britain to bronze.

It proved to be the first of a hat-trick of German golds in Cambridge, which is hosting a World Cup for the first time, as Eilers earned his second title by outsprinting his compatriot Maximilian Levy to win the men’s keirin.

Just 0.002 seconds separated the German duo as they crossed the line in one of the closest finishes of the day, while the United States’ Matthew Baranoski clinched bronze ahead of Russia’s Nikita Shurshin.

Having missed the women’s team sprint, Kristina Vogel proved the dominated force in the individual event, claiming victory in straight rides in the semi-finals and final.

The reigning world champion defeated Australia’s Stephanie Morton to claim gold, while her semi-final opponent Simona Krupeckaite bounced back from her defeat by beating China’s Shuang Guo in the decisive ride of the bronze medal contest.

While Germany were dominating the sprint events, Australia scooped both team pursuit titles with their women’s squad of Ashlee Ankudinoff, Georgia Baker, Amy Cure and Isabella King overcoming Canada in the gold medal race.

The world record holders produced a time of 4min 18.213sec to clinch gold ahead of their rivals, while New Zealand defeated the United States to win bronze in 4.23.011.

Meanwhile, there was another near miss for the hosts in the men’s event after they were forced to settle for silver behind Australia, whose team of Jack Bobridge, Luke Davison, Alexander Edmondson and Michael Hepburn claimed gold in 3:53.010.

Germany completed the podium by posting a time of 4:02.517 to beat The Netherlands to bronze.

Mark Stewart, part of a youthful British team in Cambridge, claimed his first World Cup title as the 20-year-old held off the challenge of Colombia’s Brayan Sanchez Vergara and Ukraine’s Roman Gladysh to win the men’s scratch race.

His team-mate Chris Latham tops the rankings at the midway point of the men’s omnium on 104 points, but lies only four clear of Denmark’s Lasse Hansen ahead of the final day of the World Cup.

After three of the six events in the women’s competition, The Netherlands’ Kirsten Wild leads on 114 points while Belgium’s Jolien D’Hoore occupies second place, six points behind.

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