Matt Glaetzer claimed men's 1000m time trial gold today ©Getty Images

Australia's team in the men's 1000 metres time trial today in track cycling competed without their pursuit bars on their bikes, after they failed a safety test, but still took the gold and silver medals in the event.

Pursuit bars had been used earlier in the Games, but they were not used today.

It did not stop Matt Glaetzer from winning the gold medal with a dominant performance, clocking a time of 59.505 seconds, winning by more than half-a-second to his team-mate Thomas Cornish, the silver medallist.

Trinidad and Tobago's Nicholas Paul completed the podium with his third medal of the Games.

Instead Australian cyclists used drop bars, which AusCycling say can tolerate the loads of the riders.

"Following extensive testing and an exhaustive investigation of alternatives, it has been determined that the pursuit bars due to be used in today's men's 1000m time trial at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games cannot be used safely," read the statement.

"As a result, our riders will use drop bars which can tolerate the loads generated during the competition, but will likely result in marginally slower times."

An investigation was initially in place after Alex Porter crashed in the team pursuit at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, when his handlebars broke, leading him to crash at 65 kilometres per hour.

Alex Porter's crash at Tokyo 2020 led to an investigation ©Getty Images
Alex Porter's crash at Tokyo 2020 led to an investigation ©Getty Images

Former Hockey Australia high performance manager Toni Cumpston led the probe into the malfunction, as first reported in September 2021.

AusCycling executive general manager of performance Jesse Korf said the decision was made with safety in mind.

"We acknowledge that this decision has created a degree of disappointment, but the riders and the broader team understand that safety is our top priority," said Korf.

"We have made significant changes to procedures, team structure and process since the Tokyo Olympics and this decision is reflective of a new and thorough approach to long-term engineering excellence, competitive success, and athlete welfare."

Korf said the timing of the decision was based on the need for equipment to be fully tested at an event that was not part of the Olympics.

Time trial was not part of the Olympic programme.

AusCycling are working with track equipment partner Argon 18 on a new handlebar prior to the International Cycling Union (UCI) Track World Championships in October.