Great Britain?s best ever night of track racing at Olympic level ended with Chris Hoy taking his second gold of the Games and Ross Edgar scoring silver.
Hoy delivered his usual faultless performance in all three rounds of the Keirin, diving to the front and then powering up to full, un-matchable speed at the head of the pack on each occasion.
For Hoy Saturday?s success came hot on the heels of victory in the men?s team sprint on Friday night ? and it could well be followed by a third in the individual sprint.
For Edgar, dropped from the team sprint given Jason Kenny?s rapid rise to strength, silver was a consolation prize of massive proporations.
?It?s beyond expectations.? Hoy said. ?I think this race is one for us all to remember for a long time to come. You don?t think about the podium, it?s all about the process. It?s just fantastic that Ross has got the silver as well.?
Hoy never gave the opposition a single chance to come close in the three rounds of the Keirin. In each of the three he won it from the front in classic Hoy Keirin style ? but if his rivals couldn?t claim to be surprised by the strategy, they were stil helpless.
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On the third ride a defeat became a total rout. In fact the gap between Hoy, post his usual massive acceleration, and the rest of the field at the finishing line was so large it was not even a victory: it was total domination.
?I left it a little later than usual.? Hoy claimed. ?But I thought about the finish like nothing else.?
?We knew that Chris was doing well, but the Keirin is such a massive lottery,? added sprints coach Iain Dyer.
?As Theo Bos,? ? the Dutch champion eliminated after crashing out during the second round ? ?found out, it?s very unpredictable.?
?But his rivals shouldn?t be surprised they know what Chris?s tactics are. But they can?t do anything about it.?
Closest behind Hoy came Edgar, whose silver medal was ? as Hoy pointed out ? a ?sign of just how strong this Great Britain team is. He wasn?t in the team sprint, and yet here he is winning silver.?
?It was hard to sleep last night after not getting into the team,? Edgar agreed, ?But this, a medal, makes up for it entirely.
?I was trying not to dwell on the team sprint, but they had the right team and they were all flying. I can?t begrudge them that.
?In the finale I just stuck to the game plan, which was get to the front and see what happened.?
Edgar is satisfied with his silver, but another medal for Hoy in the sprints may yet be to come ? and Hoy certainly said he would be putting the celebrations on hold for now.
?It?s a three day event, I have to take it one step at a time. The plan is to get to bed early and get some sleep.?
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OLYMPIC GAMES 2008: TRACK
Day two at the track: Summary of the action
Hoy and Edgar clean up in the Keirin
Wiggins gets pursuit gold, Burke wins bronze
Newton storms to bronze in points race
Blog: Life in Laoshan
Day one in pictures
Brits blast to team sprint gold
Day one at the track: Summary of the action
As it happened on Friday: Gold for team sprint trio; Wiggins, Houvenaghel and Romero well in control
Burke blasts to new individual pursuit PB
British track stars raring to go
What makes the Laoshan such a challenge
Picture special: CW takes you inside the Laoshan velodrome
Saturday's preview
Friday's preview
Can these legs make an Olympic champion?
Cavendish unlikely to ride individual pursuit
How many medals will Britain's riders win?
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OLYMPIC GAMES 2008: NEWS
Positive test for cyclist at Olympic Games
Bettini chasing second Olympic gold
Romero poses nude for ad
British quartet eyeing new world record
As Olympics approach two new drugs emerge
Beijing Blog
Beijing Blog 2
Beijing Blog 3
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OLYMPIC GAMES 2008: ROAD
Picture special: Women's time trial
Cancellara wins men's time trial gold
Men's time trial reaction: Steve Cummings on his ride
Women's time trial reaction: I feel fantastic, says Pooley
Pooley wins silver in women's time trial
Cooke's secret was the skinsuit
What the papers say... about Nicole Cooke
Analysis: women's road race
Gold for Nicole Cooke in Women?s road race
Reaction: It?s a dream to win Gold, says Cooke
Women's Olympic road race picture special
Sanchez gives Spain gold in thrilling men?s road race
Who is Samuel Sanchez?
Tactical analysis: Reading the men?s Olympic road race
British riders suffer in hot and humid Olympic road race
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