Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish turned the clock back eight years with a last-ditch victory in the world Madison championships here, braving a crash for the Manxman 11 laps out when the pair seemingly had their gold medals in the bag to repeat their triumph of 2008 in Manchester.
This was Cavendish’s third world title at the discipline, 11 years after his first as a callow, shaven-headed youth in Los Angeles, while for Wiggins this was a remarkable way to close a world championship career that began back in 1999, on the track where he took his Hour Record in June last year.
This was also redemption for the pair’s disastrous showing in Beijing in 2008 and it came in textbook fashion, with the British duo hoarding points early on as France, Colombia and Switzerland defended an early lap gain. All the British had to do then was take a lap themselves but this was easier said than done.
Wiggins put in attack after attack in search of his ninth rainbow jersey on track and road but he and Cavendish were repeatedly pulled back and it was not until 35 laps out that he finally forced a gap in the company of the Spanish. The lap gain took a lengthy 17 laps but, with the highest points total, all the duo had to do was remain close to the front until the chequered flag.
Cavendish’s crash 11 laps from home could have upset matters but he was rapidly back on his bike and the pair crossed the line with their arms in the air to the tune of Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back in Town. It marked another stage in Wiggins’s lengthy farewell Tour and it went completely to script, with the London crowd on their feet in the closing event of a week that has seen Great Britain top the medal table.
