BEIJING (AP) -Argentina's Juan Esteban Curuchet and Walter Fernando Perez have won the gold medal in the men's madison, their nation's first track cycling medal of the Beijing Olympics.

Argentina had eight points Tuesday, one more than silver-medalist Spain and two more than bronze-winning Russia.

It was an upset loss for Britain, the heavy favorites with Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins - who was bidding to pass Burton Downing of the United States as the most-decorated Olympic track cyclist of all time - finishing eighth.

The madison is a 200-lap, two-man race where teams collect points in sprints held every 20 laps. Only one rider from each nation is racing at a time.