BMX rider Shanaze Reade will not defend her world championship title in
Copenhagen after pulling out with a wrist injury.
Reade recently had surgery on the wrist but with the championships due to
start on Wednesday, does not believe she has had enough recovery time.
The 22-year-old from Crewe said: “It was a tough choice to make as
obviously I wanted to go out there and defend my title.
“But looking at the bigger picture, preparing for the BMX test event in
August is the priority for my Olympic ambitions and I don’t want to do
anything to jeopardise being ready for that.”
The decision appears part of British Cycling’s strategy not to take any injury
risks with their riders in the run-up to the 2012 Games.
Promising BMX rider Liam Phillips was ushered on to the track to keep himself
injury-free after having surgery on his elbow and wrist in February.
Bradley Wiggins will also be in the treatment room recovering from a broken
collarbone after his crash at the Tour de France two weeks ago.
Reade missed out on Olympic gold in 2008, the pre-race favourite fell on the
last corner of the race to be denied a medal of any colour.
The versatile rider has also raced on the track this season and previously won
2007 and 2008 team sprint World Championship golds with Victoria Pendleton.
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