Briton Wiggins and German Fiedler on top

Bradley Wiggins won Britain's second Olympic cycling gold medal in consecutive days yesterday, while Germany's pursuit team gave veteran rider Jens Fiedler the third gold of his long career.

The Briton won the men's 4-km individual pursuit, edging out his rival and close friend Brad McGee of Australia in the gold medal race.

Wiggins' gold came a day after team-mate Chris Hoy won the men's 1-km time trial and is testimony to the coaching skills of Chris Boardman, who won the event for Britain in 1992 and has been Wiggins' mentor for the past two years.

"This has been something I've wanted to do since I was 12 years old, since watching Chris Boardman win the gold medal in Barcelona," Wiggins said.

"Chris really changed everything - my training, my mental approach - and really simplified the pursuit for me. I think I hugged him at the finish line but there were so many (British) red T-shirts there I didn't get to see anyone's face."

McGee was magnanimous in defeat. "It's a pleasure to race against you," he told Wiggins. "I love that rivalry that two competitors can have on the track and still go out later and have a beer together. On the track he's every enemy I've ever met... but it's a pleasure to be able to be friends afterwards."

Fiedler's gold in the team sprint could be the last of his fine career and makes him one of only four men to have won five Olympic medals on the cycling track.

He won the individual sprint title in Barcelona and Atlanta and took bronze in the sprint and the keirin in Sydney. The 34-year-old celebrated by cycling a lap of the velodrome with his young son perched on his handlebars.

Germany's gold also gave Stefan Nimke his second medal in two days following his bronze in the time trial on Friday.

Surprise finalists Japan took silver while world and defending Olympic champions France had to settle for bronze.