David Nicholas secured one of three Australian gold medals ©Cycling Australia/Twitter

Australia secured three pursuit gold medals on a successful second day at the International Cycling Union (UCI) Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Los Angeles.

Reigning Paralympic champion David Nicholas triumphed over the 3,000 metres distance in the C3 category.

His time of 3 min 35.425sec proved enough to finish 3.80sec clear of Joseph Berenyi, the home winner of yesterday's time trial event. 

Belgium's Diederick Schelfhout clocked 3:42.537 to claim bronze.

Simone Kennedy claimed Australian gold in the corresponding women's C3 pursuit.

She won by just 0.37 against fast finishing American Jaime Whitmore in a competition in which there were only two entrants. 

Amanda Reid also won in the C2 category after passing Czech rival Tereza Diepoldova.

It came in another women's competition with just two riders. 

Just 80 are featuring at the World Championships at the VELO Sports Center in Carson, which would play host to cycling if Los Angeles is successful with its bid for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This is less than half of the 215 competitors who took part at the 2016 edition of the event in Montichiari in Italy.

The short notice period athletes given by the UCI has been widely blamed.

United States have enjoyed plenty of success on their home track.

Jennifer Schuble was first on the podium with a win in the 500m time trial in the C5 class before team-mate Shawn Morelli followed soon after with her own win in the same event in the C4 category.

Schulbe finished 0.44 clear of compatriot Samantha Bosco in 39.58 in another two-horse race.

Morelli triumphed over Canada's Marie-Claude Molnar by 0.31 after crossing in 41.575.

Meg Lemon won Australian bronze in 42.820.

Britain's Jody Cundy was another winner today after a blistering time of 1:05.61 secured a ninth success C4 1,000m time trial crown.

Slovakia's Jozef Metelka took silver in 1:06.15 while Kyle Bridgewood secured another Australian third place in 1:09.18.