Sir Chris Hoy won the mens keirin world title with a good looking last-ditch move in the house straight on the World Track Cycling in Melbourne.
Hoy crowbarred his way between New Zealands Simon van Velthooven and eventual silver medallist Maximilian Levy of Germany to seize the gold medal.
Sir Chris Hoy"This is especially special because it's my last meaningful race before the Olympicsรข€
The electrifying victory installs Hoy because the clear favourite for the Olympic gold, while Jason Kenny won bronze.
The British team end the Worlds on top of the medal table for Olympic events.
From the ten events which make up the programme for London 2012, British riders took five gold medals to second-placed Australias three.
Wendy Houvenaghel added silver within the individual pursuit, Geraint Thomas combined with Ben Swift for madison silver, and Jess Varnish won bronze within the womens 500m time trial. None are Olympic races but all four riders are in contention for Olympic selection.
"If here is my last World Championships, and it would be, then what the way to finish," Hoy told BBC Sport.
While he has long been acknowledged as a master of the keirin, rarely has even the 36-year-old - last years world silver medallist - produced one of these breathtaking finale.
Boxed in because the six finalists reached the overall corner, Hoy swooped down off the banking to take a daring inside line, carving out space between the Kiwi and German riders before reaching the road fractionally just before Levy.
Hoy has suffered a disappointing week elsewhere, being disqualified from the team sprint and settling for individual sprint bronze behind Kenny, but he now leaves Australia as a worldwide champion in Olympic year.
"Id given up - not physically, but i presumed the danger of winning had passed by the time I hit the back straight with half a lap to move," said Hoy.
Chris Hoys major titles
- Olympic gold medals: Four (Athens 2004 time trial, Beijing 2008 sprint, team sprint and keirin)
- World gold medals: 11 (2002-2012)
- World medals of any colour: 25 (1999-2012)
"Normally Id go across the outside and put my foot down but Id lost momentum. It was one last chance - Ive never gone up the within before in my life, its a genuine last-chance saloon - I couldnt believe the door opened and that i managed to get through. In many ways Im very lucky, but very grateful to have won.
"World titles are all special, each one you remember, but it really is particularly special because its the last meaningful race Ill have before the Olympic Games. Its an excellent confidence boost and hopefully Im showing my rivals i'm able to win from any position."
Kenny initially finished fourth however the relegation of Van Velthooven promoted him to the rostrum.
Elsewhere, silver for Houvenaghel inside Melbournes Hisense Arena is a few consolation after she was overlooked for the team pursuit, that's an Olympic race and where Britain both won gold and set an international record on Thursday.
The 37-year-old won individual pursuit silver behind Rebecca Romero at Beijing 2008 however the event was subsequently dropped from the Olympic programme, leaving the team pursuit her only hope for London 2012.
"Earlier this week i used to be in two minds whether to do the person pursuit or not as a result situation that occurred on Thursday [when she was not picked for the team pursuit]," Houvenaghel told BBC Sport.
Houvenaghels pursuit of success
- Beijing 2008 silver medallist behind Rebecca Romero before individual pursuit far from Olympic programme
- Finished second to Alison Shanks at 2009 World Championships and 2010 Commonwealth Games
- Fighting to be selected for team pursuit at London 2012 but being kept out of line-up by Laura Trott, Dani King and Joanna Rowsell
"Ive trained so hard with the others and the end result the ladies got on Thursday was absolutely phenomenal. i might have loved to join that but unfortunately didnt get the danger. [Now] Im just a little less frustrated.
"Its not over yet, Im greatly within the hunt [for Olympic selection]. I wont be stepping aside or making it easy for any of the others."
Anna Meares set a brand new world record of 33.010 seconds within the time trial to win gold for Australia. Varnish finished almost a second back in third place despite clocking her own personal better of 33.999.
Team pursuit world champion Thomas and scratch race gold medallist Swift concluded Britains involvement on the World Championships within the mens madison, finishing second with 18 points to victorious Belgiums 24.
Swift has won a gold and two silver medals, all in non-Olympic events, as he fights to enroll in Thomas inside the team pursuit for London 2012.
The squad for the Olympics is determined to be announced in June but it surely is feasible that the proper GB line-up for individual events might not be made public until the Games are under way.
From WhatNewsToday.net
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