The Russian rider, winner of an Olympic team sprint silver with Voinova at Rio 2016, clocked a time of 34.310sec to secure the gold medal on the first day of the Championships.

Shmeleva and Voinova were split on the podium after Germany’s Pauline Grabosch finished just 0.08 seconds behind the winner to earn a silver medal.

It was a highly impressive ride by the reigning junior world champion and world record holder as she begins to make the step up to elite level competition.

Voinova took bronze medal in a time of 34.483, but was left disappointed having won the event in both 2014 and 2015.

There was home success on the opening night of the competition, with Quentin Lafargue claiming gold in the men’s kilometre time trial.

The Frenchman finished in a time of 1min 00.685sec to earn victory ahead of Germany’s Eric Engler, second in 1:00.807.

The Czech Republic's Tomáš Bábek completed the podium, finishing in 1:01.612.

Switzerland’s Gael Suter earned victory in the second men’s event on the track, the 24-year-old triumphing in the men’s scratch race.

He held off the challenge of Poland’s Adrian Teklinski and The Netherlands’ Wim Stroetinga, who finished in second and third respectively.

The Netherlands’ Kirsten Wild, just days after being beaten to the women’s world road race title by Amalie Dideriksen of Denmark, celebrated earning a European title on the track.

Wild went head-to-head with Britain’s Olympic team pursuit gold medallist Katie Archibald to win the women’s elimination race.

France’s Laurie Berthon, the penultimate rider to be eliminated, secured the bronze medal.