Australia made a brilliant start to the track cycling world titles in the Netherlands by posting an emphatic victory in the men's team pursuit on Wednesday night.

After just eclipsing the British last year in Copenhagen, the Australian foursome destroyed the Russians in the gold medal race in Apeldoorn.

The quartet of Jack Bobridge, Rohan Dennis, Luke Durbridge and Michael Hepburn scorched around the track to win by almost four and a half seconds in a time of 3 minutes and 57.832 seconds.

There have been concerns about the speed of the track at the venue about an hour out of Amsterdam but that did not bother the Australian foursome, aged 21 and under.

The Russians (4:02.229) briefly took the lead about a third of the way through the race but that seemed to stir the Australians to step up the pace and eventually blow away their rivals.

After posting the quickest time in qualifying, Bobridge said the Australians had kept plenty in reserve for the final and produced another impressive showing in the lead-up to next year's London Olympics.

"We saved a lot of energy this afternoon to make sure we could come out and really put the hammer down and take another win," he said.

"We have done it quite comfortably, the main key was our smoothness and our control.

"We have been training together.

"We know we can do it and can rely on each other."

British coach Shane Sutton said on the eve of the world championships the Australians could be in for a "bit of a shock" from his men.

However the Beijing Olympic champions failed to make the gold medal race, qualifying third and having to settle for the bronze after beating New Zealand.

Hepburn said the Australians had shown they could handle the weight of favouritism, an important test in the lead-up to the London Games.

"Yeah there was a lot of pressure. we won it last year and a lot of teams are looking at us as the top team here. There was some class opposition out there, the track was probably a bit slower than expected," he said.

The only change from the team that won last year's world title was Luke Durbridge coming in for Cameron Meyer.

"I am lost for words," Durbridge said.

"It is going to take a while for it to sink in.

"I trained with these guys all last year and the year before and to come here and experience keeps you hungry for next year."

Bobridge thought the track was about three to four seconds slower over the course of a 4000m event than last year's in Copenhagen.

In other racing on day one the men's team sprint lost their bronze medal battle against Great Britain. The Australians (Dan Ellis, Jason Niblett and Scott Sunderland) qualified fourth fastest and in the final 18 year old Matthew Glaetzer stepped in for Sunderland. But the British line up of Matthew Crampton, Chris Hoy and Jason kenny proved too strong clocking 44.235 against the Cyclones time of 45.241.

In the women's points race Sarah Kent, who has been struggling with form since returning from illness, did not finish the 25km 100 lap event.

Australia will head into day two with hopes of more gold by way of reigning world champions and world record holders Anna Meares and Kaarle McCulloch in the women's team sprint.

Australia is also defending their women's teams pursuit title with 2010 champion Josie Tomic being joined by dual Olympian Kate Bates who returns to World Championship competition on the track for the first time since 2008. Making up the trio will be the baby of the team, 18 year old Amy Cure from Tasmania who last year claimed three gold medals on the track, including two world records, and a bronze medal on the road at the junior World Championships.

In the men's events Bobridge, Dennis and Hepburn will all be back in action in the individual pursuit qualifying. Bobridge last month set the world record for the four kilometre distance at the Australian championships in Sydney and goes in as the clear favourite but fellow South Australian Dennis, who clocked a world record time as well in Sydney only to see Bobridge demolish it minutes later, is also expected to challenge for gold.

"I'll go into tomorrow with my head held high and I came here to win both (teams and individual) but I can only do what I can do," said Bobridge. "I've got tonight in the legs but I'm fit and I'm healthy and I normally can respond pretty well but we'll see what happens tomorrow. The best man will win but I'll give it 110 percent and see what I can do."

McKenzie rates all three Australians as contenders for medals.

"I'm not sure about a clean-sweep but two definite medal chances in Bobridge and Dennis. Jack's ride in tonight's final was really, really good and Rohan was rock solid today."

The men's sprint also gets underway tommorrow with 2010 silver medalist, Shane Perkins, headlining the Australian assault. 2010 junior sprint and keirin world champion Matthew Glaetzer has also earned a start as has Scott Sunderland.

Tom Wald AAP with Cycling Australia