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Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines - Former world champions Shane Perkins of Australia and Britain's Jason Kenny crashed out of the keirin during qualifying at the World Track Cycling Championships on Thursday.
Even given a second chance in the repechage, neither 2011 laureate Perkins, who beat British great Chris Hoy to gold that year, nor 2013 champion Kenny could make it through to the medal rounds in the evening session at the national velodrome in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines near Paris.
There was no such trouble for reigning champion Francois Pervis of France who won his first round race ahead of New Zealand's Sam Webster, pushing Perkins into third and into the repechage.
There both he and Kenny were beaten by Russia's Nikita Shurshin.
Australia's men's team pursuit outfit will battle for bronze with Germany in the evening as Britain and New Zealand qualified for the final.
Australia's hopes had already gone up in smoke in qualifying on Wednesday when they posted the fifth fastest time, meaning they were no longer in contention for a place in the final -- only the top four qualifiers can challenge for a place in the final.
The Australians showed their class, though, by posting the second fastest time behind Britain in the first round on Thursday afternoon.
New Zealand will need to make up a second on their first round time compared to the British quartet of Edward Clancy, Steven Burke, Owain Doull and Andrew Tennant, while Germany will need to find almost two seconds to snatch the bronze off Australia.
In the women's team pursuit, reigning world and Olympic champions Britain will contest the final against Australia, who will need to find a half second to snatch the gold medal.
Last year's beaten finalists Canada will challenge New Zealand for the bronze.
Britain's quartet of Katie Archibald, Laura Trott, Elinor Barker and Joanna Roswell were within just half a second of their own world record.
In the seven editions this event has been part of the world championships, Britain have only failed to win once, beaten by Australia in 2010.
