The National Times - Portugal win first-ever Olympic track cycling gold

The duo took control in the final stages of the 200-lap race at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome to finish eight points ahead of Italy, with Denmark taking the bronze.

Avoiding a series accidents, they won all four of the last sprints in a sensational finish to overtake the Italians for a famous victory.

Notoriously chaotic and unpredictable, the madison is a two-person tactical relay event, featuring a mass start.

Points are accumulated from sprints every 10 laps -- with the top four teams rewarded -- while the final lap offers double points.

Crucially, an additional 20 points can be earned if a team laps the field.

In a quirk, teammates are allowed to 'sling' each other in and out of the race by gripping hands, either for rest or to put the faster rider in position for a sprint.

It means fluid changeovers are crucial, but with numerous bodies hustling for space, crashes are common.

Austria made its tactics clear at the start, going out hard to take the first sprint, catch the peloton and earn an extra 20 points.

But the exertion took its toll and they were later lapped themselves and deducted the 20 points they worked so hard for.

Italy and Denmark both gambled with the same move mid-way through the race, hauling in the field with sustained speed.

At the halfway mark, the Italians were eight points clear of the Danes, with Spain and New Zealand joint third, 27 points behind.

Denmark kept chipping away and were only four points adrift with 50 laps left before Portugal made its move.

They won three sprints and in the process lapped the field for an extra 20 points, before storming home.

F.Jackson--TNT