Bolton star Jason Kenny believes Great Britain's sprint cycling squad can regain their former dominance in time for the Tokyo Olympics after clinching a bronze medal at the European Games in Minsk.
Rebounding from a dismal World Championships in Poland earlier this year, Britain beat the Czech Republic in a bronze medal race-off while the dominant Netherlands beat France to secure to another major gold.
The Dutch winning time of 42.385, eclipsing Britain's final total of 43.020, emphasised the current difference in class which Farnworth-born Kenny and team-mates Ryan Owens, Jack Carlin and Joe Truman will have to breach.
Kenny said: "I think we've got all ingredients of a strong team and it's just a case of putting it all together in the right race on the right day.
"We've got the potential to take it right to the Dutch and give them a run for their money.
"At the end of the day, Poland is history now, whether we won there or completely bombed. We're working towards the Olympics and it's another stepping-stone along the way."
After failing to make the podium in Poland, the British team had headed to Belarus with few expectations of overhauling the almost full-strength Dutch line-up.
Six-time Olympic champion Kenny figured in the opening qualification race in which their time of 43.517 ranked them second behind the favourites, but the six-times Olympic champion was rested for the first round in which they were overhauled by France.
Carlin said: "We came into this to see where we were standing after the Worlds.
"We had a heavy training block and we have come out of the other side with a strong showing."
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