Olympic gold medallist Katie Archibald has announced she will not ride at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as she recovers from a series of injuries.
The 28-year-old Scot won the madison with Laura Kenny in Tokyo last year, along with silver in the team pursuit.
Archibald won gold and silver medals at Gold Coast 2018 and picked up bronze on her Commonwealth Games debut in 2014.
“I’m just not coping,” said Archibald when listing the injury problems she has had in 2022.
“I took two weeks off in January this year while recovering from shoulder surgery,” she explained.
“That was a scheduled break. However, since then I’ve managed to fit in, unscheduled: a back fracture, Covid, a concussion, a broken collarbone, another surgery, and (the final cherry on top) two sprained ankles and a big, ballooned leg.
“I’ve tried my hardest to keep my head up – and certainly had enough support from British Cycling, Scottish Cycling, and Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cyclin to do so – but I’m just not coping.
“So, with a very heavy heart I’ve decided to withdraw from the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. This isn’t a happy thing to share. Representing Scotland means so much to me, but that’s where I am.”
The ankle injuries were sustained when Archibald was hit by a car, shortly after breaking her collarbone and suffering a concussion at a World Cup event in Glasgow in May.
Archibald won Olympic team pursuit gold in 2016, has four World Championship golds and took her tally of European Championship wins to 17 with successes in the scratch, omnium and madison last year.
