In Paris as a travelling reserve, Stewart got a late call up to partner Wood – his best friend – after Ethan Hayter was withdrawn due a thigh injury sustained in an incident in the Team Pursuit.
The Men’s Madison field was an extremely strong one, with so many of the pairings able to challenge for a medal on their day, and Stewart and Wood would be among them, coming in as reigning World silver medallists.
Contested over 200 laps, with sprints every 10 laps worth 5 points for the winner, the pace was ridiculously high – in the end the team’s covered 50km at over 60km/h or 40mph!
Austria caught everyone out as they attacked from the gun, gaining five points by winning the first sprint given they were three quarters of a lap ahead, and four laps later they completed the lap gain, twenty points putting them in a surprise early lead.
With 170 aps to go GB would get their first points on the board, Wood coming across the line third for two points. Austria had clearly overextended themselves though and lost the lap they’d gained with 150 laps remaining, just as Spain and Portugal were off the front, trying to gain a lap, but ultimately having to settle for sprint points.
GB were keeping their powder dry in the first half of the race, only contesting two sprints in the first 70 laps, to sit ninth, but only seven off the lead.
Italy would then gain a lap, to build a huge lead, with the Danes the next to try, eventually making it across as the peloton was in pieces At the halfway mark those two teams had a large gap to the rest of the field.
Japan would be next to gain a lap, but GB through Ollie Wood would take second in that sprint, to add three to their tally, ninth on eight points. After the sprint at 70 laps to go, where GB would pick up another point, Czechia would be the next team to make a solo attack, quickly stealing a half lap advantage, but a French counterattack and a response from the bunch would halt their progress.
The Czech’s would be out front for a long time, before The Netherlands also went off the front. Through the next sprint Stewart would add two further points to the GB tally, but time was running out if they wanted to contend for a medal – they needed to emulate what the Czechs and the Dutch would eventually do and take a lap.
Inside the last 40 laps Ollie Wood, who wasn’t even the active rider at the time, was clattered by one of the Dutch riders, but thankfully he managed to get back up and continue, but Stewart had to ride some 10 laps on his own, which undoubtedly took it’s toll.
Unfortunately there was another crash not long later, with the Belgian recovering rider slipping down the bank and wiping out the active Spanish rider – all of this adding one of the maddest Madison’s you’ll ever see.
It didn’t stop though, Italy botching their change and Consonni hitting the deck; meanwhile Spanish rider Torres wasn’t allowed to rejoin the race, presumably due the concussion protocol. Belgian and France would lose laps as the race really was all over the track, literally and metaphorically.
With 10 laps to Portugal would take the sprint and a lap later would add a lap and 20 points to their tally to take the lead with one sprint remaining.
With the race in bits, Portugal would do it – winning the final sprint in the process, to win the maddest of mad Olympic Madisons, with Italy second and Denmark third.
Stewart and Wood would come home in 10th place, a valiant effort, unquestionably hampered by Wood being taken out in the latter stages.
Stewart was magnanimous afterwards though, commenting:
“It’s exactly what we expected [a fast race] – we knew we’d go out and the gear would feel small, and we rode conservatively and hoped the race would come to us, but it just never slowed down!
“We looked to try and latch onto a team trying to take a lap, and we knew how to execute it, but at the end of the day we just lacked what those top teams had today, and that’s just sport.
“It’s really special to be an Olympian. Four years ago I thought that dream was gone and I’d kind of made my peace with that. To be standing here – 24 hours ago I still didn’t think it would be the case – it’s so special.
“How many people even get one shot at being on the British Cycling programme, let alone two, and that’s testament to me, as a I work hard, but it’s also testament to the opportunities I’ve been given and the people who’ve opened doors for me. Scottish Cycling have supported me in so many ways, not just financially, and without that I wouldn’t have got back to where I am.
“It was even more special to ride with Ollie. Before he crashed he said to me ‘it’s not done yet mate’ and just to share that communication and that we’d fight to the end, that was special. I’ve loved my whole week. I’ve loved being reserve and I’ve loved becoming an Olympian. In LA I’d love to be a medallist!”
Jack Carlin was also in action on Saturday afternoon, returning to the track after Sprint bronze the previous evening. With the top two in each qualifying race of the Keirin advancing straight into tomorrow’s quarter-finals, the assignment was a clear one.
Drawn in the same race as Harrie Lavreysen, Carlin knew he’d have to be on his A game, and he was. Jostling for position, Carlin was the man to give chase to Lavreysen, who’d flown the nest, the Paisley man coming home second to safely advance.
Both Jack, and Neah Evans will be in action on Sunday 11th August, the final day of these Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Carlin will continue his quest for a third medal in the Keirin, whilst Evans will bid for Omnium glory. That session starts at 10am.