Five-time world champion Harrie Lavreysen outpaced Australia's Matthew Richardson to win the Olympic men's sprint gold medal on Friday, successfully defending his title.

The Dutch star showed tremendous poise and power to easily take the best-of-three deciding series 2-0.

Britain's Jack Carlin faces the Netherlands' Jeffrey Hoogland in the bronze medal race.

Lavreysen has established himself as the sport's leading sprinter in recent years, winning five consecutive world titles between 2019-2023.

He smashed the world record in qualifying and now with back-to-back Olympic golds has cemented his status as an all-time track great.

The 27-year-old was never seriously threatened by Richardson, winning the first race by 0.024 and the second by 0.047.

Victory made him only the fourth cyclist to defend an Olympic men's sprint title since it was first raced in 1896, after France's Daniel Morelon, German Jens Fiedler and Briton Jason Kenny.

It was Lavreysen's second gold of the Games after helping the Netherlands win the team sprint title.