Australia wins 6th gold at track cycling worlds after taking men’s Madison race

Australia wins 6th gold at track cycling worlds

BALLERUP, Denmark — Leigh Howard and Cameron Meyer secured Australia’s sixth gold medal Saturday after winning the men’s Madison race at the track cycling world championships.

The two-man team beat France’s Morgan Kneisky and Christophe Riblon at the Ballerup Velodrome, while Belgium beat defending champion Denmark to take third place.

Meyer, who picked up his third gold on the fourth day of the championships, was pumped up by the win.

“I cannot quite believe that I’ve won three golds,” said Meyer, who also took gold in the men’s point race and the team pursuit. “It hasn’t quite sunk in yet. To win gold with my best friend Leigh is the best feeling yet.

“Australia is on a roll now.”

With seven events to go, Australia has a massive lead in the medals table and has already won two more golds than at last year’s championships.

In the women’s sprint, Olympic and world champion Victoria Pendleton won Britain’s second gold medal. Pendleton said the pressure to win was immense.

“I am expected to do so well these days so it can feel like part of a job. The whole world has such high expectations of us,” she said.

China’s Guo Shuang took the silver and Lithuania’s Simona Krupeckaite the bronze.

In the final race of the night, Tara Whitten of Canada beat Elizabeth Armitstead of Britain to take gold in the women’s omnium, a multiple race event featuring five different disciplines. Leire Dorronsoro Olaberria of Spain won the bronze.

Earlier Saturday, Olympic champion Chris Hoy, who had been in the hunt for three titles, made a stunning exit in the quarterfinals of the men’s sprint when he was beaten by Gregory Bauge of France. The Scotsman, who has nine world titles, will leave Denmark with one gold medal for the men’s Keirin and a bronze for the men’s team sprint.

The men’s sprint final will be the last event on Sunday.