Entering the Berlin velodrome as reigning team pursuit world champions and madison silver medallists, the Tasmanian pair had high hopes of adding to their medal collection in a key hitout ahead of this year's Olympic Games.

However, Cure's return to action following a back injury saw her miss out on the team pursuit in which Baker and teammates Ashlee Ankudinoff (NSW), Annette Edmondson (South Australia) and 20-year-old debutant Maeve Plouffe (SA) finished fifth.

Baker then crashed before battling on to finish 14^th in the omnium before one of the fastest ever world championship madisons took its toll on Cure and Edmondson who were unable to complete the 120-lap final.

Edmondson's dual 2019-20 World Cup gold medals and Cure's two world championship medals in the discipline placed Australia as one of the favourites leading in, and the pair figured in the first two sprints.

But reigning champions the Netherlands upped the pace with a race-changing attack which splintered the field and delivered gold.

With the average pace ticking over 50km/h and the physical intensity causing several crashes, the Aussie pair fell off the pace and were lapped by the main bunch before pulling out with 15 laps remaining.

"We had a lot of success as pairings in the World Cups this season, and we felt we knew what to expect," Edmondson said.

"We have been working so hard at home as a squad for the madison, and we feel we were as mentally and tactically prepared as we could have been.

"I will take responsibility for that result because Amy had good legs. She was making really good decisions. I thought we were on, but as the race went on, I had no legs. I knew what I needed to do, but my legs couldn't take me to do them."

The championships marked Edmondson's return to competition after recovering from a broken collarbone sustained at December's track World Cup, but the 28-year-old wasn't using that as an excuse for the result.

"I wouldn't have put my hand up to race this race if I didn't think I was mentally and physically prepared. Obviously, it was a slightly different prep, but I felt fitter than I have before.

"Amy's back has been average over the last few months, but she has been back on top, and she was ready to go as well. We both believed we could do it."