Great Britain claim surprise bronze medal as Dutch lay down early marker at UCI Road World Championships

There may not have been a gold medal for Great Britain on the opening day of the Road World Championships here in Yorkshire, but the scenes of jubilation as they clinched bronze in the mixed team time trial relay spoke volumes.

"We never anticipated getting a medal," said Harry Tanfield, one part of the six-rider team in this new format race that is making its debut at the world championships. Indeed, few had given the British team much thought going into Sunday's race around the Harrogate circuit that will become very familiar over the next seven days.

It was an emotional result for Tanfield, who was competing three weeks after the death of his mother. "For my family and stuff to come and watch, to come away with a medal is fantastic," the 24 year-old said. "That's why I wanted to do it, for my mum to be proud of me."

Fourth down the starting ramp on a wet afternoon, the trio of John Archibald, Dan Bigham and Tanfield powered over the line to set an early benchmark of 18min 24.01sec at the halfway point of the 27.6km course around Harrogate before their female team-mates – Lauren Dolan, Anna Henderson and Joss Lowden clocked off for the day with a time of 39min 18sec.

Having surprised almost everybody, even themselves, all that was left for them was sit and wait in the hotseat – or hotseats – an experience Tanfield described as "good fun".

With just 11 nations represented, the British team did not have to wait too long before the favourites started rolling. First Italy, then Germany got their races under way before the mighty Dutch, resplendent in their brilliant orange skinsuits, hit the road.

On what was a tough, twisty and technical course a number of riders throughout the day saw misfortune scupper their chances of posting a decent time. But none more agonisingly than Italian rider Elisa Longo Borghini who punctured on Penny Pot Lane.

Despite the timings being taken on the second rider over the finishing line, Longo Borghini put in a huge effort to regain contact with with her team-mates knowing she could still do a job. Incredibly she did just that, though ultimately the time lost during a bike change – around 14sec – was enough to hand Britain bronze.

Distraught at the finishing line Longo Borghini apologised for puncturing. There was no need, it was a brave effort and one recognised by Lowden who said the Italian "deserved a medal" for that solo ride alone. Alas, Longo Borghini and her team-mates, including Elia Viviani who arrived in Yorkshire late on Saturday night after flying in from Slovakia, ended their days empty handed.

It was the Dutch, whose team was made up entirely of WorldTour riders – Koen Bouwman, Bauke Mollema, Jos van Emden, Lucinda Brand, Riejanne Markus, Amy Pieters – who, despite suffering a brief scare with a touching of the wheels between Bouwman and Mollema, took the inaugural title, finishing 23sec ahead of Germany who took silver.