The effort took its toll though, with Australia losing a rider before the 3km mark – as Great Britain rode to their schedule, eating into the green and gold team’s lead.
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Former Tour de France champion Wiggins, affectionately known as “Sir Wiggo” after receiving a knighthood for his exploits, ran across the steeply banked track to celebrate his eighth Olympic medal, one more than Chris Hoy, with his wife Catherine.
The three wins put Team GB in a comparatively better place than they were four years ago in London in that most golden of summers.
Elsewhere, less than 24 hours after winning Olympic men’s team sprint gold, Callum Skinner and Jason Kenny returned to the saddle – and it was quite clear that they were not feeling any aftereffects from their exploits on Thursday evening. Dujardin and her horse Valegro delivered a wonderful performance but it was not quite wonderful enough to secure another top gong.
But Britain reeled them in in the closing stages, with the Aussies becoming more and more ragged, as they snatched gold.
But the 36-year-old Wiggins, who has always been mentored by Sutton, showed signs of frustration. “I collapsed and was crying my eyes out”.
While the world records from Great Britain, twice, and China headlined the day, there was a sign of what may be to come in the men’s sprint as an Olympic target was also toppled. “I’d say it was joint between Heiko and Rod [Ellingworth, Cavendish’s long time coach], looking after Cav”.
“Then you’ve got Doully who reminds me of a young G (Geraint Thomas)”.
Wiggins largely retired from road cycling after winning the time trial at the London Games, seemingly content not only with his career in professional cycling but also the Olympics.
Team Denmark defeated New Zealand in the bronze medal matchup to finish third. Their rivals closed on them in the last 500m but the damage had been done with Britain’s blistering start. I’m kind of just doing the omnium stuff now. We are so proud of him.
The six-discipline omnium in which Cavendish has been selected, and placed sixth in at March’s Track World Championships in London, is something of a lottery. Here it took about four minutes.
Germany’s pairing of Kristina Vogel and Miriam Welte were disappointed not to have made it to the final, although they enjoyed a bittersweet day, having won bronze against Australia.
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The team sprint was his weakest event prior to Rio, but with that apparently resolved it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he could equal Hoy’s haul of three gold medals from one Games.
