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Jason Queally was struggling to come to terms with the scale of his achievement on Saturday after stunning himself and the cycling world by striking gold in the men's 1km time trial - Britain's first medal of the Sydney Games.

The 30-year-old Chorley-based rider was at a loss to explain his sudden transformation from fringe contender to history maker after smashing his previous personal best by nearly a second-and-a-half to clock a new Olympic record of one minute 1.609 seconds.

In an event normally decided by hundredths of a second, his time was nearly a second quicker than any of his rivals - and more than enough to give him Britain's first cycling gold since Chris Boardman won the individual 4000m at Barcelona in 1992.

As he watched the Union Jack being raised in triumph and 'God Save the Queen' blaring out around the Dunc Gray Velodrome, Queally admitted to a sensation unlike any other he is likely to experience in his career.

"My mind was blank, watching the flag go up," he said.

"I was just trying to absorb the whole atmosphere. I felt like a ghost out there - it was very strange."

Queally insisted he would resist any victory celebrations yet, with a chance for further medal glory on Sunday when he goes in the Olympic Sprint - alongside Scots Chris Hoy and Craig MacLean, with whom he won silver at last year's World Championships.

He also boasts a Commonwealth Games silver medal from 1998, but even after setting a new British record of 1min 3.06secs in Mexico in June, Queally was unprepared for just how much he has improved in the interim.

"I felt just the same as I did when I did my previous best, so it was a shock to look up and see what I had done," he explained after storming round four laps of the track at an average speed of 58.433kmh.

"I can't quite believe it. It hasn't sunk in yet. I can't explain what happened out there.

"I thought potentially I might get a bronze if it all went well on the day, and if something strange happened, then who knows ?"

After posting his record-breaking time, Queally was still forced to watch three more riders, including home favourite Shane Kelly and Frenchman Arnaud Tournant, complete their rides.

"I didn't think I was going to win, even then," he added. "I just thought the track was probably very quick, and that I might get bronze."

German Stefan Nimke - who eventually took the silver - and Australian Kelly - who finished third - followed, but the biggest shock was the failure of world record holder Tournant to live up to expectations, eventually trailing in fifth.

"Jason effectively put a gun to Tournant's head, which he hasn't had for a long time, and he cracked," said Britain's performance director and team manager Peter Keen.

"He was a big favourite, but he missed a medal. It just shows you this is duelling of the highest order and it an extraordinary achievement.

"I guess we had some inkling of it, because we knew what he was capable of. Anyone who has spent any time around him over the last few months will know he was a man on a mission and he delivered."

Keen, desperate to get Queally back to the sanctity of the Olympic village to ensure he stays fresh for the sprint event, believes he is capable of further success.

"They are medal prospects and they are going to be fired now," he added.

British cycling fans will have an early chance to see the new Olympic champion on home soil when Queally competes in the World Championships at Manchester next month.

The 1km time trial will be the first final to be decided at the event which runs from October 25 to 29, where Queally's Olympic rivals Nimke and Kelly will be looking for revenge.