Freak accident rules Clancy out of European Track Championships

The competition will take place in Grenchen, Switzerland from October 14-18, but the 30-year-old will be unable to make the trip after sustaining the injury during training.

Clancy is one of the country's most decorated cyclists with two Olympic team pursuit titles to his name as well as a bronze in the omnium and no fewer than nine world medals including five golds.

The five-time European champion was in the final stages of an endurance training block when he sustained the injury and endurance coach Heiko Salzwedel admits there was little that could be done to prevent it.

"When you're tired it affects your muscle," he said. "It was just one of those freak things, he just turned to pick up his bag and his disc slipped.

"This means that his hopes for the European Championships, which were supposed to be his highlight for world championship qualification, are now over.

"We've discussed it and his participation has been ruled out."

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