Victoria Pendleton advanced to the final of the women’s sprint as the 31-year-old aimed to finish her career on a high with Olympic gold.
Pendleton claimed a comfortable 2-0 victory in her best-of-three sprint semi-final against Kristina Vogel of Germany.
Defending champion and six-time world sprint champion Pendleton was drawn on the inside as she took a 1-0 lead in the contest and in the second bout the Briton had too much pace for her opponent as she rounded the German to win by half a bike length.
Pendleton was seeking to retire with a third Olympic gold which would make her the most successful British female.
Pendleton was set to meet perennial rival Anna Meares of Australia in the final.
In the second semi-final, Meares was similarly comfortable in taking a 1-0 lead over Guo Shuang before outpacing the Chinese rider in the second bout.
The Australian won silver four years ago and suffered a semi-final defeat to the Briton in April’s Track Cycling World Championships in Melbourne as Pendleton triumphed.
Laura Trott was in medal contention with one event remaining in the women’s omnium.
The 20-year-old team pursuit champion was in second place, one point behind Sarah Hammer of the United States, entering the 10-kilometre scratch race, with the duo’s nearest rivals seven points adrift.
Annette Edmondson of Australia won the 40-lap scratch race, with Hammer second and Trott third ahead of the final event, the 500metres time-trial.
Trott had won two of the previous four disciplines and is proficient against the clock, but Hammer’s two-point advantage at the top of the standings might be difficult to overcome.
Edmondson was third, five points behind Trott on 22, with Tara Whitten of Canada a further five points adrift.
