COLNE cyclist Steven Burke last night helped Great Britain retain their European team pursuit title with victory over Denmark.

The 23-year-old was part of the British quartet that claimed gold at the 2010 European Track Cycling Championships in the Polish town of Pruszkow and they enjoyed further success in this year’s event in the Netherlands last night.

This time the Great Britain team was made up of Burke, Ed Clancy, Peter Kennaugh and Geraint Thomas and they booked their place in last night’s final by topping the time charts in the afternoon’s qualification session.

Their time of four minutes 1.475 seconds was almost four seconds faster than their nearest rivals Denmark, ensuring that the two countries would then go head to head in the final in the city of Apeldoorn.

Russia edged out Spain in the bronze medal race and Burke then helped Great Britain to a comfortable triumph over Denmark to secure gold.

Great Britain completed the four-kilometre distance in four minutes 0.008 seconds, with Denmark posting a time of only four minutes 6.787 seconds.

The victory will further boost the British quartet’s confidence ahead of next year’s Olympic Games in London, when the likes of Australia and New Zealand are likely to provide strong competition.