Great Britain's Shanaze Reade qualified in ninth place for the time-trial final at the BMX World Championships in Birmingham.
Reade won the time-trial at last year's World Championships in Copenhagen but has work to do to retain the rainbow jersey at the National Indoor Arena.
Reade clocked 30.167 seconds as Australia's Caroline Buchanan qualified fastest in 29.168secs. Magalie Pottier was second fastest in 29.718, with her fellow Frenchwoman Laetitia Le Corguille third in 29.825.
The 16 leading riders advanced to Friday night's time-trial super final and Abbie Taylor missed out after finishing in 30.687 to place 21st.
Taylor, though, was one of the top 48 who will return on Saturday for the super cross competition.
In the men's competition, Briton Liam Phillips advanced in sixth place in 26.516.
There were 171 riders entered, with 64 advancing to Saturday's super cross and the leading 16 reaching Friday night's time-trial super final.
Connor Fields of the United States was fastest in 26.114 and Joris Daudet of France second in 26.204.
Britons Tre Whyte (27.385) and Grant Hill (27.483) missed out on a place in the top 16, but will ride on Saturday after finishing 42nd and 46th respectively.