Elia Viviani of Italy (top) and New Zealand's Campbell Stewart contesting the men's elimination race at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships. Photo: SWPix
Bryony Botha and Campbell Stewart have both climbed the podium to lift New Zealand's final medal tally to five at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships, in Chile.
Gold evaded the New Zealand team in Santiago, but their riders were competitive across most events and the overall tally was the second best the country has ever produced at the worlds.
Stewart emerged with silver in the the men's elimination, where the last-placed rider is eliminated every second lap.
Stewart managed to elude the dangers in a packed first half of the race before moving forward as the field reduced in size, setting up a final sprint against multiple world champion Elia Viviani.
The Italian, the Rio Olympic gold medallist, was looking for a golden end in his final ride before retirement and edged the New Zealander in the race for the line.
Stewart, who secured a seventh world championships medal, reflected on an exciting race.
"It was dicy out there at times but after the omnium yesterday, I learned a few things," Stewart said.
"I managed to ride the bubbles and push at the right times. In the end I probably gave Viviani the perfect retirement gift - it was close and I gave it my all but couldn't quite get there."
Botha claimed bronze after leading into the final lap of the women's 25km points race, where Mexican winner Yareli Acevedo Mendoza completed a remarkable solo effort to lap the field.
New Zealand's Bryony Botha leading the women's points race at the track cycling world championships. Photo: SWPix
The 20 bonus points was sufficient for Mendoza to emerge as the winner, while Great Britain's Anna Morris dug deep to win the double-point last sprint to edge Botha for second.
Botha was emotional after winning a sixth career world championships medal.
"I went in with full intent and tried to go with every move, which seemed to work well in my favour," she said.
"I was seeing a bit red over the last 20 laps and tried to survive.
"I actually came off the track thinking I was fourth or fifth but my coach told me I was third. I started crying - I couldn't believe it."
Earlier, Olympic champion Ellesse Andrews was caught up in traffic in her keirin semi-final, to miss a place in the six-woman final.
The New Zealand pairing of Tom Sexton and Keegan Hornblow were sixth in the Madison, the final event of the five-day meet.
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