Behind the scenes at the track world championships – in pictures

Two days before competition and a rainstorm has flooded the walkway to the track centre, and soaked the wooden boards of the velodrome Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

The Great Britain Cycling Team sprint coach, Jan Van Eijden, shows the damage to a shocked Jason Kenny
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Despite the closure, spirits were still high among the athletes, who took the opportunity to document the freak event Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Once the track has dried out training gets under way
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

A smiling Laura Trott walks her way towards the track
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Philip Hindes led the opening lap of the team sprint with a blistering pace of 17.2secs but it would not be enough to secure a ride in the final and the team finished fifth
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Jess Varnish has a quiet moment while preparing for the women's team sprint
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

The men's team pursuit team suffered a crushing blow and recorded their worst result since the introduction of lottery funding
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

The women's team sprint squad, consisting of Becky James and Jess Varnish, await the call to the track centre
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

The pair celebrate after rescuing the day for Great Britain with a bronze medal in the event
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Jason Kenny prepares for the keirin by stretching his new skinsuit before wearing it for the first time
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

The keirin was to prove another disappointment, with Kenny finishing fifth and Matt Crampton (pictured) seventh
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

The dominant women's team pursuit squad prepare for competition
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

While unable to break the record – a frequent occurrence with the team's high standards – they managed to hold off a spirited ride by Canada to take the gold medal
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Team-mates Jess Varnish and Becky James were drawn against each other in the early phase of the competition of the women's individual sprint
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Varnish came out victorious but it was business as usual off the track. James finished in fifth place, with Varnish just off the podium in fourth
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Coach Chris Newton, bronze medal winner in the men's points race in Beijing, speaks to Jo Rowsell prior to the women's individual pursuit
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Rowsell beat Sarah Hammer in the final to take the gold medal and the world champion's jersey, beating the American by more than a second
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

After a promising start in the men's omnium, the classification slipped away for Ed Clancy - fifth overall - despite three event wins
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Laura Trott approached the final event of the women's omnium with the attitude of winning the world title, despite it only being a mathematical chance
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Despite disappointments, spirit in the camp was still strong. Elinor Barker and Jo Rowsell returned to support Katie Archibald, who would finish fourth in the points race
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling

Dani King packs her bike ready for it to be transported back to Manchester. With many hard lessons learned, the British cycling team have a long road ahead of them
Photograph: Luke Webber/British Cycling