Wilton cyclist Kaarle McCulloch wins bronze medal with Anna Meares at UCI world championships

TRIPLE world champions Kaarle McCulloch, of Wilton, and Anna Meares claimed Australia’s first medal of the World Cycling Championships in Paris.

Australian team Kaarle Mcculloch, left, Anna Meares, right, pose with their medals on the podium during the Women's Team Sprint race medal ceremony at the Track Cycling World Championships in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Three-time world champions Kaarle McCulloch, of Wilton, and Anna Meares claimed Australia’s first medal of the World Cycling Championships in Paris with bronze in the women’s team sprint.

The pair last rode together to claim bronze at the London Olympics.

A change in combination had the Wilton rider (pictured) leading Meares in the first of two laps, with the pair qualifying fourth fastest.

Australian team Kaarle Mcculloch, left, Anna Meares, right, pose with their medals on the podium during the Women's Team Sprint race medal ceremony at the Track Cycling World Championships in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

In the ride for bronze, the Aussies pegged back a deficit of five hundredths of a second after the first lap against triple defending world champions Germany to take the medal in a time of 32.723secs.

“Anna and I always lift for finals ... we brought it home and beat the defending world champions,” an emotional McCulloch said.