Ex-Australian defector pulls out of Glasgow showdown

Star cycling defector Matt Richardson is sidelined because of injury, denying the Glasgow Commonwealth Games one its top drawcards.

The England team dropped a bombshell on Wednesday night (AEST), announcing the former Australian Olympian was hurt earlier this week while racing in Japan’s prestigious keirin series.

It’s understood that Richardson crashed out of a race during the series. There was no immediate word on how badly he was hurt.

His stunning withdrawal has robbed the Games track cycling program of its biggest name.

“Unfortunately, due to an injury sustained in international racing earlier this week, Matt Richardson will no longer be able to compete for Team England at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games,” team management posted on Instagram.

AusCycling was making no comment as the news reverberated around the Games.

Richardson sensationally defected from Australia to Great Britain soon after winning two silver and a bronze in the sprint events at the Paris Olympics.

The Kent-born star’s showdown with former teammate Leigh Hoffman shaped as arguably the biggest story of the Glasgow Games.

Richardson had stirred the pot in interviews over the last few days, saying the Australian track program was like high school and, by comparison, the powerful British system was Hogwarts.

He would have competed in the team sprint when the track program starts on Thursday night (AEST).

But the big showdowns would have come in the match sprint and keirin, where Richardson and Hoffman were the top favourites.

“The Aussies want me to smash him, the Brits want him to smash me and that’s the way it goes,” Hoffman said when the Australian cycling Games team was announced.

While Richardson has competed against Australian riders since his shock move, this would have been easily the highest-profile event where he was to go up against his former teammates.

The men’s team sprint will be one of the first gold medals to be decided in the four-day track cycling program at Glasgow’s Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

Richardson, Hoffman and Matt Glaetzer, who has retired, won Australia a breakthrough bronze medal in the team sprint at the Paris Olympics.

Richardson then won sprint and keirin silver, behind Dutch great Harrie Lavreysen.

Richardson had said in Paris that his goal was to succeed Lavreysen as the No.1 men’s sprinter by the Los Angeles Olympics.

Days later, he blindsided AusCycling by announcing his career would continue as a British cyclist.

Richardson’s strong form has continued since the controversial move, including two wins over Lavreysen earlier this year at the European championships.