British cycling chief Dave Brailsford backed Steven Burke to bounce back from last night's World Championship heartbreak.

The Burnley starlet suffered the worst possible senior championship debut when he failed to finish the gruelling 60-lap, 15K scratch race at Manchester's National Cycling Centre.

Burke looked close to tears after returning to the British pen' which minutes before had been celebrating a gold medal for Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins.

Performance Director Brailsford wrapped a consoling arm around the 20-year-old's shoulder.

And he told Telegraph Sport: "I have total confidence in Steve.

"I'm sure he will look back on this in years to come and have a smile on his face about it.

"It's not the first time this has happened to a young man.

"Steve is one for the future and is really talented. I have no doubt about that.

"I think, in the end, the occasion got the better of him. It was difficult to absorb.

"Maybe he went out a bit too quick and he didn't have much left when the pressure came on."

Burke, a Team Pursuit gold medallist at last year's European Under 23 Championships, admitted: "I'm gutted to be honest.

"But I have got to pick myself up and move on.

"I have trained well for the Championships.

"But, in the end, I just didn't have the legs for it.

"I knew there was something wrong from the opening laps.

"I'm not going to use nerves as an excuse for what happened.

"Every athlete has an off day and hopefully this was mine."

Burke will look to make amends in the Omnium on Sunday.

Aliaksandr Lisouski of Belarus won the gold from Dutchman Wim Stroetinga. Burke was one of four in the 24-strong race who didn't complete the course.

Wiggins' gold came in the 4,000m individual pursuit, while Chris Hoy, Jamie Staff and Ross Edgar took silver behind France in the Team Sprint.