HOY AND EDGAR BLAST TO MEDAL DOUBLE IN KEIRIN

Chris Hoy wins Olympic Keirin title 2008

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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.

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

Rebellin misses out on golden birthday

Brailsford confident ahead of women?s road race

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OLYMPIC GAMES 2008: GUIDE

Olympic Games 2008 homepage>>

Olympics: latest news>>

Olympics cycling results>>

Cycling event schedule>>

Great Britain rider profiles>>

Cycling event guide>>

Photo gallery>>

British Olympic cycling medal winners>>

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