Otago’s James Gardner saved his best until last to claim the omnium title at the New Zealand Track Cycling Championships in Invercargill.

After winning the opening scratch race, the former national criterium champion bided his time until a strong performance in the points race earned him the title in a tight competition.

He finished on 136 points to edge Daniel Morton (Counties Manukau) by just six points with Te Awamutu’s Zakk Paterson a further three points in arrears.

Garder won the scratch race from Hunter Gough and Patterson before experienced Hawkes Bay rider Luke Mudgway took out the tempo from Mitchel Fitzsimons and Lucas Murphy.

Fitzsimons claimed the elimination from Magnus Jamieson and Mudgway, who claimed the narrow lead going into the deciding points race.

Murphy put two laps on the field to finish with 50 in the Points race but Gardner managed to lap  the field and score regular sprint points to claim the overall title with 136 points.

Morton scored points in eight of the 10 sprints to climb to runner-up with 130 points, with Patterson third on 127, edging Murphy off the podium by a single point.

In other racing, high performance riders Emily Shearman and Sami Donnelly (NZ Blue) dominated the 15km madison, winning all sprints ahead of the Green Tinelli pair of Amelia Sykes and Mya Wolfenden.