Malaysian master Azizulhasni Awang delivered the performance his fans so desperately wanted, winning the men’s keirin in his final major racing appearance on home soil before his (supposed) retirement at the end of this season.

Much of the build-up this week had focused on the mutual respect, and the likely duel, between the winners of the Track World Cup’s two previous rounds: Awang and Harrie Lavreysen.

‘I didn’t expect him to be this quick at this age, the Dutchman said of the Pocket Rocketman. ‘I watched him winning in Perth, and I’m afraid he’s going to be even better here. It’s a really big race for him in his home town, but I really look forward to racing him.’

‘Harrie performed really well in Hong Kong’, Awang responded. ‘He will be competing in Malaysia for the first time. I want to race against him as well, especially after such a long time.’

The two lined up together in the second round: Lavreysen won it, but Awang claimed the second place he needed to proceed to the semi final stages, just ahead of Han Xie.

Awang narrowly won his semi, ahead of world number one Nicholas Paul; Lavreysen was second behind Minato Nakaishi in a very tight finish, with first and sixth separated by just 0.216s.

And in the final, perhaps inevitably, Awang and Lavreysen were the two in front at the finish line.

Henric Hackmann had a big lead going into the last lap, with Awang right at the back of the line, right behind Lavreysen – and clearly planning to follow the Dutchman’s inevitable charge.

Nicholas Paul played his hand early, passing the German in the back straight, with Lavreysen driving hard behind – towing the Pocket Rocketman behind him.

But exiting corner four, Awang sneaked up Lavreysen’s inside, and past Paul for a sensational victory.

And his weekend isn’t yet finished: Awang goes again tomorrow in a packed individual sprint competition, with 54 names on the start list.