Geraint Thomas is looking pretty smart right now. After deciding to stay on the track for the 2012 Olympics in London, Team SKY’s Geraint Thomas’ team pursuit set a world record in Melbourne, Australia Wednesday, upsetting the favored Aussies to take a gold medal and the world champion’s rainbow stripes for the discipline.

Thomas was joined by Ed Clancy, Peter Kennaugh, and Steven Burke, with usual starter Andrew Tennant sitting out the final against Australia. Great Britain was ahead immediately, off to a blazing start on the legs of Ed Clancy. Australia charged back and the teams were level at 1500 meters, with Australia seizing a small lead for before the bell lap, when Thomas came to the front. Geraint turned a deficit into a world record over the course of his pull, stopping the clock at 3:53:314, topping their record set in 2008 in Beijing.

The win, and the record, were a slight surprise even for Thomas. Just last week, Thomas predicted the world record would survive until London in August, not thinking Great Britain or Australia would be on form enough to top it. Thomas was aching watching Flanders last week, and he won’t race at Paris-Roubaix this weekend either. That’s okay with him: he tweeted “That definitely makes up for missing Flanders and Roubaix!! What a day!! Now onto the next phase…” just after taking the win, and shortly after shared a photo of his world champions jersey hanging in the locker room (below).

kolo t.c. will be checking in on ‘G’ throughout the season as he prepares for London 2012. He’ll continue on the track until he heads to the Giro d’Italia in May, one of his only road starts of the season and one of the few times he’ll be assisting Team SKY as they target a Grand Tour victory in 2012.