STEVEN Burke believes the GB men's team pursuit squad has the potential to succeed at the Tokyo Olympics despite missing out on a medal at the track cycling World Championships.

Great Britain were beaten by Italy in the bronze medal ride off in Hong Kong on Thursday while Australia took the title after defeating New Zealand in the final.

But Colne's Burke, 28, felt the performance of the young squad, in which he was the only member of the gold medal winning ride from Rio competing, hinted at a bright future.

"The lads across the rounds have done really well," he said. "You can see there is great potential in the group working towards Tokyo.

"I have really enjoyed it in the last few months working with the lads and we have all learned from each other."

On the next Olympics in Japan Burke added: "I will still only be 32 and it is very much on my mind and that is what I am working towards.

"I think we can really improve and catch up with Kiwis and the Aussies. Don't get me wrong they rode really well but I think we can bridge the gap and make a really good competition of it."

The British squad had to battle to earn a place in the medal rides this week after only posting the fifth quickest time in qualifying before improving in round one.

Two time Olympic champion Burke did not ride in that first round effort having been part of the qualifying performance but he was back in the quartet for the medal ride.

The Colne ace was joined by Kian Emadi, Mark Stewart and Ollie Wood but despite leading for the first 3,000m of the match-up the Italians proved the stronger in the closing stages to take bronze in 3.56.935 with the Brits, who lost man one Burke three men three laps from the end after a colossal effort, clocking 3.58.566.