Kiwi cyclists win madison gold

New Zealand cyclist Nick Kergozou produced an outstanding final lap to lift himself and teammate Cam Karwowski to the gold medal in the men’s madison event at the Oceania Track Cycling Championships in Invercargill last night.

Kergozou and Karwowski beat Australian rivals Sam Welsford and Jackson Law on the final day of the championships on Sunday. The teams both finished on 17 points, but the Kiwis won by a whisker courtesy of their final sprint victory.

‘‘It is an awesome feeling, just having such an awesome Oceania champs and finishing it off like that against that Australian team,’’ Kergozou said. ‘‘You know they are really showing their class, it was right down to the last sprint and it was amazing to pull it off and get the win.

‘‘Points were really close and the last sprint was going to win it. If Aussie had got us in that last sprint then they would have won it . . . but we controlled the race which worked out well in the end.’’

In the men’s 30km points race, 2013 omnium world champion Aaron Gate won the gold medal after gaining two laps on the field, finishing on 86 points, ahead of Kiwi team mate Hayden Roulstonm who continued his good comeback to track cycling, on 45 and Luke Mudgway on 20.

Men’s sprint gold medallist Matthew Glaetzer continued his great form by winning men’s keirin gold ahead of compatriot Simon van Velthooven with Australia’s Mitchell Bullen third.