London 2012: GB's BMX riders go for gold - in pictures

Britain's Shanaze Reade made it safely through Wednesday's time trial and through Thursday's initial heats to reach today's semi-final heats. The women have been split into two pools - each pool will race three times. Reade is riding bike number 12 in the first pool
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The semi-finals should be a formality for Reade, who only missed out on a medal at the last Olympics when she attempted a daring overtaking manouevre on the final bend and crashed in her bid for victory. Reade is a three times supercross world champion
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

She's jumping well and leaving plenty of riders behind her. She finishes second in run one, then first in run two
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

David Beckham and David Cameron must have enjoyed that
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

In the other pool, France's Magalie Pottier (riding the number 1 bike) leads heat one, but the field is tightly bunched and the Columbian Mariana Pajon is a threat on her inside (on bike 5)
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

It's so bunched that cornering is proving very dicey
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Brazil's Squel Stein goes down hard and has to be carted off on a medical stretcher
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

The jumps are pretty spectacular around this course
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

In the other pool, Pajon (on bike 5) wins all three of her heats with Pottier of France (bike 1) second every time. Those two reach the final with ease
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

... and they'll be joined by Reade who was second in run three of her pool
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

In the men's competition, Britain's Liam Phillips is well placed on the shoulder of Netherlands rider Raymn van der Biezen going into the first bend in the first race in pool one
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

There's a huge pile-up though, with Latvia's Rihards Veide among those felled. Only three riders escape safely and Phillips is one of them
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Phillips finishes second in race one
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Much to the thrill of the packed grandstands
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

... who are reveling in the breakneck aerial feats
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

... and he finishes third in race two
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

He then places fourth in race three to book a place in the final
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

In the women's final, Reade has the inside lane from the start ramp, but she never quite manages to worm her way into contention ...
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

instead it is Columbia's Mariana Pajon who finishes first
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

... to the delight of her coaches
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Reade is despondent after coming home a lowly sixth
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

After the misfortune of Beijing four years ago, she must have hoped for at least a medal this time out
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

There's more disappointment for Britain in the men's final when Liam Phillips crashes out
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Latvia's Maris Strombergs leads the pack
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

And it's he who crosses the line first to win gold in the men's race. So, no medals for Britain in a cycling competition - that's something of a rarity
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian