Ryan misses out at the last

Ireland's Caroline Ryan was denied a medal in the women's scratch race on day three of the Track Cycling World Championships in Minsk after being overtaken by the chasing pack in the final half-lap.

Ryan was seeking to claim her second World Championships medal - after points race bronze in 2012 - in the 40-lap (10-kilometre) event and follow Martyn Irvine's successes on day two, her team-mate who won men's scratch gold and individual pursuit silver.

She initiated the break 12 laps out and had two accomplices, but defending champion Katarzyna Pawlowska of Poland overtook her and claimed the victory, with Mexico's Sofia Arreola Navarro second.

Ryan was floundering as the line approached and she was overtaken by the pack as Russia's Evgeniya Romanyuta claimed bronze.

The Irishwoman finished seventh, one place behind Great Britain's Dani King.

In the women's sprint, Becky James advanced to the semi-finals with apparent ease, winning her best-of-three quarter-final with Australia's Kaarle McCulloch 2-0.

The 21-year-old from Abergavenny is in the form of her life and won team sprint and 500m time-trial bronze medals on the opening two days of competition.

She accelerated by McCulloch in the first bout to win comfortably and in the second held off the Australian to claim a 2-0 win.

The last-four of the sprint takes place tomorrow, with James drawn against China's Guo Shuang in the best-of-three semi-final.