From our Olympics correspondent in Paris – Italian track cyclists Chiara Consonni and Vittoria Guazzini won a gruelling victory in the women's Madison relay at the National Velodrome west of Paris Friday night, stealing a lap late in the race and leaving the reigning British champions in second place. It was only the second time the event has been held at the Olympics – and a tough act to follow in more ways than one.
There are no brakes on track cyclists’ bikes – the only way to stop is to keep going forward and hope the laws of physics lose interest. Their feet lashed to their pedals, riders have to be guided onto the track by their coaches’ patient hands, helpless until the race begins. Then a gun goes off, and they’re gone.
