Australia won two silver medals on the second night of the world track cycling championships as hopes of matching last year's haul of four gold faded away.

Defending champion Jobie Dajka lost his title to Frenchman Laurent Gane in the kierin while Luke Roberts repeated his silver medal of last year in the 4000m individual pursuit.

Dajka made the initial attack two laps from home and had a big lead over the other five riders with 500m left but was hauled in by Gane 60m from the line.

He got to the final the hard way, crashing early in the first round and then having to win his repechage to reach the second round.

"I put my best out there and I was just beaten on the day by a better rider," Dajka said.

"It was a lot earlier than I would normally go out but I thought if I didn't go, somebody else probably would and I'd get caught up in the back of it."

Ryan Bayley, the 2001 champion, was hauled in on the line in the second round to finish fourth and miss the six-man final.

Roberts was a surprise second to teammate Bradley McGee last year and said he came to win gold this year but Britain's Bradley Wigginss was the better rider throughout the qualifiers and heats.

Roberts also went out early and led Wiggins by .823 of a second at the halfway mark.

But Wiggins, who set the fastest times in qualifying and the heats, pegged the Australian back and overtook him with 600m to go to win in 4min18.576sec, with Roberts recording 4:19.306.

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