Glaetzer had set a new Commonwealth Games record in his opening heat but was upstaged by the slowest of the 16 qualifiers, Malaysia's Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom, in Saturday afternoon's sudden death ride-off.

The 25-year-old won the world title last month and was a red-hot favourite to snare a second gold medal, having taken out the keirin the night before.

He now has only one event left - the 1000m time trial.

And though it's not an Olympic event, it's one the South Australian excels in.

Glaetzer became the first man to go under the one-minute mark at sea level in November's World Cup and bettered that effort at the Anna Meares Velodrome at the track nationals in February, clocking 59.759 seconds.

"It will take a little while to get over this one, but I'll definitely give it my best, give it all I have," Glaetzer said.

"I won't leave anything in the tank for the kilo.

"It's just one ride and I'm going to absolutely rip it, go as hard as I can and try and make amends."

Glaetzer was left embarrassed and nearly in tears after his defeat to Sahrom, admitting he used "minimum effort" in an attempt to conserve energy only to get his tactics totally wrong.

Like the stunned crowd in Brisbane, he didn't quite know how to process it.

"I just made a mistake and I'm gutted for it," Glaetzer said.

"It's the worst case scenario for me. The sprint's the big one.

"I just needed to be accelerating, not just controlling him.

"It's devastating. It was a nightmare unfolding with three quarters of a lap to go.

"I knew I'd stuffed it and had to give it all. I had to try and fight.

"The race was gone by then."

Australian Associated Press