The roar of the embrocation, the smell of the crowd: there's nothing like track racing for up-close, high speed action.
With the Beijing Olympics just around the corner, track giants Britain, France and Australia know it’s now time to set down markers or forget dreaming about gold medal success in China this August. While Australia set a blistering pace on the Athens Olympic velodrome in 2004, in the past two years they have been playing catch-up to the new track pace-setters Great Britain.
Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish added to Britain's stunning medals tally when they won the men's Madison gold here at the world track cycling championships in Manchester on Saturday.
The duo, who race together for the High Road team in road cycling, finished ahead of Germany and Denmark who took the silver and bronze medals respectively after a frantic finish to the 200-lap, two-man event.
Wiggins has now won his third gold of the championships after the individual pursuit and the team event. Adding to Chris Hoy's keirin gold and Victoria Pendleton's sprint crown, Britain now have nine golds from 14 finals.
Photographer Stephen McMahon has been in the infield at the Manchester Velodrome for the 2008 World Track Cycling Championships.
If you want to read more on the winners and losers in Manchester, head to the related links on the right hand side of this page.
Here are some of the best pictures from day four from Stephen McMahon.
Lithuanian athlete Simona Krupeckaite beat Guo Shuang of China to win the first semifinal of the Women's Sprint event.
Victoria Pendleton (Great Britain) celebrates her victory in the final of the Women's Sprint event.
The Women's Sprint podium: Silver went to Simona Krupeckaite (Lithuania), gold to Victoria Pendleton (Great Britain) and Jennie Reed (USA) took the bronze.
The explosive spectacle of the Men's Keirin was up next.
A strong nerve and excellent judgement are essential, as demonstrated by Shane Perkins (Australia).
A crash during the qualifying rounds of the Men's Keirin caused some damage to the track surface.
Ricardo Lynch (Jamaica) relaxes between rounds of the Men's Keirin.
Stefan Nimke (Germany) leads compatriot Carsten Bergemann in the Men's Keirin.
The Women's Points race was a straight final.
Svetlana Paulikaite (Lithiuania) sets the pace with Trine Schidmt of Denmark in tow.
Belem Guerrero Mendez (Mexico) focuses on holding her position in the pack.
Obviously giving her very best effort, Catherine Cheatley (New Zealand) snatches a glance at the scoreboard.
Marianne Vos (Netherlands) looking composed and determined as she attempts to lap the field.
Her efforts reaped the ultimate reward: Marianne Vos (Netherlands), Women's Points Race World Champion for 2008.
The medal winners for the Women's Points Race: Silver for Trine Schimdt (Denmark), gold for Marianne Vos of the Netherlands and Vera Carreara of Italy took the bronze.
Fabio Masotti (Italy) is propelled into action by teammate Angelo Ciccone in the frenzy of action and reaction that was the Men's Madison.
Reach out for me: Iljo Keisse and Kenny De Ketele (Belgium).
The Swiss duo of Bruno Risi and Franco Marvulli almost came a cropper during a changeover.
Fortunately they both stayed upright and actually looked quite elegant in the end.
The strain of his efforts is obvious on the face of Michael Friedman (USA) as he catapults teammate Colby Pearce into action.
Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain) were the team to watch in the Men's Madison event.
Jens Mouris and Peter Schep (Netherlands) strive to remain at the head of affairs.
Argentinian pairing Juan Esteban and Walter Fernando Perez pass in a flash of blue and white.
Carlos Torrent Tarres (Spain) manages to a quick glance at the scoreboard as he slings teammate Joan Llaneras Rosello into action.
Volodymyr Rybin and Lyubomyr Polatayko of the Ukraine make a successful exchange.
Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain) in full flight is a beautiful thing to behold.
Mark Cavendish senses victory may be around the next bend.
Cavendish and Wiggins brought the home crowd to their feet with a fantastic victory in one of the most entertaining events of the programme by taking victory in the Men's Madison.
The teammates celebrate another win for Great Britain.
To the victors, the spoils.
The podium for the Men's Madison: Silver for Roger Kluge and Olaf Pollack of Germany, gold for Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and Michael Morkov and Alex Rasmussen took the bronze.
Chris Hoy (Great Britain) had some unfinished business to attend to: the final of the Men's Keirin.
Chris Hoy (Great Britain) took a convincing victory in the final of the Men's Keirin.
Hoy's first act as the newly crowned World Keirin Champion was to sign an autograph for this young fan.
A key member of the British Cycling Youth Development squad was given a guided tour of the velodrome: Bradley Wiggins and his number one fan.