On the penultimate day of action in Paris, the velodrome
delivered high drama as the medals were decided in the men’s madison. The fans
at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome witnessed an unforgettable night
filled with crashes, strategic maneuvers, and last-minute shifts in the medal positions.
Let’s dive into the thrilling events that unfolded and see
who ultimately claimed the gold medal.
Men's madison
It was glory for Portugal in the men's madison, as Luri Leitao and Rui Oliveira emerged victorious
in an Olympic final that will be remembered as one of the craziest races in Olympic track cycling history. In what was one of the most chaotic madisons ever seen,
the Portuguese duo capitalized on a late crash by Italy's Simone Consonni, whilst
the Italians led the race.
As the crowd realise that a turnaround was on the cards, Portugal
stormed ahead to gain a lap with less than 20 laps to go. The bonus points this
awarded them boosted the Portuguese pair into the overall lead.
Denmark's Michael Mørkøv and Niklas Larsen, who had taken a
lap earlier in the race, managed to secure the bronze medal. Mørkøv will need
to find some extra space in his trophy cabinet for his medal from Paris, having
already claimed an incredible gold in the madison three years ago in Tokyo.
Team GB also fell victim to drama, as Ollie Wood suffered a horrific crash following what appeared to be a headbutt from Dutch rider Jan-Willem van Schip. Wood was sent crashing across the Velodrome floor, where he remained for some time, clearly in severe pain. Onlooking fans believe the Dutchman’s move looked deliberate, and it remains to be seen if he will be penalised.
Earlier on in the race, it appeared as Italy already had one
hand on the medal. The Italian pair of Viviani and Consonni, seemed poised for
victory after leading Denmark by securing five sprints and earning 20 points
for gaining a lap in the first half of the 200-lap race.
However, their hopes were dashed after Consonni crashed
dramatically in the second half the race. This led Elia Viviani to race solo
while waiting for Consonni to recover and rejoin the action.
A man down in the madison leaves a team exposed and
vulnerable to attack. And the Paris final was no different, as the Portuguese duo
launched a ferocious attack. Leitao and Oliveira took the points with 20 laps
remaining and then pushed forward, gaining a lap just after winning the
penultimate sprint.
As the race neared its conclusion, the Portuguese duo turned
up the intensity, winning the final sprint, which was worth double points. This
decisive move secured their victory and denied Italy the gold. Meanwhile, the
Danes held their ground, ensuring that Mørkøv could add another Olympic bronze
to his impressive collection. Portugal finished with 55 points, ahead of the
Italian and Danish riders on 47 and 41 points respectively.
We now look forward to the final day of track action in
Paris. Coming up on Sunday, Harrie Lavreysen goes for a third gold in the men’s
keirin, whilst there’s also medals to be decided in the women’s sprint and
women’s omnium.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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