Producing a superhuman effort round the final bend, Sir Chris (pictured above) held off the challenge of Germany's Max Levy to strike gold in men's keirin and collect a record sixth Olympic title, surpassing Sir Steve Redgrave's five for rowing in what was surely his final appearance on the biggest stage of all.

Ten days after carrying the Team GB flag at the Opening Ceremony, Sir Chris, who was competing in his fourth Olympics, burst into tears as he mounted the podium, fittingly bringing the track cycling event to a close after the most memorable of all memorable moments for a British cycling team who, just as in Beijing four years' ago, collected a remarkable seven golds from just 10 races.

Having won on the very first night of the tournament in the men's team sprint, Sir Chris' triumph in the eight-lap keirin was the perfect finale.

But boy, was it a nerve-wracking few minutes.

The 36-year-old Scot, the defending Olympic and four-time world champion, hit the front with a lap to go but was suddenly overtaken by Levy and had to produce one last momentous surge to edge the German by a bike length and almost raise the roof of a sweltering, fervently patriotic Velodrome, a 6,000-capacity sweatbox.

Teun Mulder of the Netherlands and Simon van Velthooven of New Zealand crossed the line together for third and a bronze medal each.

(Left to right) Silver medallist Max Levy, gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy, and joint bronze medallists Teun Mulder and Simon van Velthooven celebrate after the men's keirin medal ceremony

"I'm in shock," said Sir Chris.

"You try to compose yourself but it's surreal.

"I wanted to win gold in front of my home crowd.

"I drove like I've never driven before in that last bend.

"The keirin is a lottery and you never take anything for granted in it.

"For a split second I thought it was all over.

"I can't describe the feelings I have at the moment.

"This is enough for me, this is the perfect end to my Olympic career.

"How can you top this?

"It's the pinnacle of everything you've worked for to make a mark in history.

"The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow [in 2014] is another question, as that would be the dream ending for me but I won't make a decision for a few months."

If the extraordinary events inside this cauldron of a venue, where the decibel level was at its loudest, did not quite match the exploits of Super Saturday for the host nation, they certainly came close.

Laura Trott celebrates after winning the London 2012 women's omnium

While Sir Chris was ending his Olympic career in breathtaking style, another Briton Laura Trott, almost half his age at 20, started hers in the same vein by sensationally winning the women's omnium after being two points behind going into the final 500-metre time trial.

Already having won the team pursuit here, Trott could not quite believe becoming a double Olympic champion and flung herself into the arms of her sister before her tiny frame was enveloped by a huge Union Jack bearing her name.

"I can't believe this has happened to me," said Trott, who wasn't supposed to peak until Rio in four years' time.

The overnight leader in the multi-discipline event, Trott had dropped back into second place behind American Sarah Hammer in the opening session today.

But in a gripping final race, her time meant she managed to claw back a two-point deficit to relegate the American to silver with Australia's Annette Edmondson taking the bronze.

"It was crazy, the crowd just drove me home," said the bubbly, effervescent Trott.

"When I went on the track my legs were absolutely killing me.

"I was a bit nervous going into the time trial.

"I knew I could make up some of the gap but not many people can put three points on Sarah.

"It felt like the roof was being lifted off.

"I hope I've got many more Olympics in me – even my dad was talking about 2016 – but I don't know how I can match this."

Anna Meares (left) crosses the finish line ahead of Victoria Pendleton (right) to win the gold medal in the London 2012 women's sprint final cycling event

In between the two British golds, Victoria Pendleton, whose mantle will now pass to Trott, just missed out on making it a clean sweep when, in the final race of her career, she lost her Olympic sprint title in controversial circumstances to her long-time rival Anna Meares of Australia.

In almost unbearable tension, Pendleton, who had already won a keirin gold, thought she had edged race one of the three-leg final by the width of a tyre but the result was reversed after she was adjudged to have strayed out of the sprinting lane amid boos from the crowd.

Having to return to the track so quickly took its toll mentally and Meares took full advantage, outwitting Pendleton tactically and dashing her dreams of becoming the first British woman ever to win three Olympic golds.

Guo Shuang of China took bronze.

"It's been an epic rivalry with Anna and I would have loved to have won on my final race, but I'm so relieved it's all over," said Pendleton who has had her fair share of emotional troubles and could not hold it together in the post-race press conference, collapsing into tears when looking back at her career and forward to a life without the pressure.

"There were times in the last four years where I didn't think I was going to make it here.

"I'm never putting on a skin suit again and I won't miss it.

"I'm only going to go cycling to keep fit.

"The world is my oyster."

A tearful Victoria Pendleton waves to her fans after calling an end to her Olympic career

Pendleton and Meares have enjoyed some classic duels and while there may not have been any love lost during their rivalry, they sportingly congratulated one another after their final, an eagerly awaited encounter.

"Victoria's been the benchmark," said Meares, celebrating her first Olympic triumph for eight years and giving Australia something to cheer about after a generally poor Games.

"There were times when I asked myself how on earth I was going to be able to beat this woman.

"We spent four years working out strategies and plans to do it.

"Maybe what happened in that first race played on her mind because there's a lot of psychology involved.

"I've been in the same situation myself.

"But this is the event that I'd targeted.

"Bronze in Athens, silver in Beijing.

"The challenge was a big one, so it's really special."

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