British track sprinter Matthew Richardson believes “a line was crossed” when he was taken out by another rider while racing in Japan this summer.
The 27-year-old suffered a broken shoulder and spent four days in hospital after he crashed on an asphalt velodrome during a Keirin World Series event in Tachikawa at the end of July.
Footage of the incident shows another rider cutting across the track and ramming into Richardson, in a move the Briton believes was intentional.
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“I think a line was crossed that day, for sure,” he said in a round table interview ahead of his comeback at next week’s UCI Track World Championships. “We understood the risk as international racers coming in to race Japanese keirin, we knew it was argy-bargy. I think there is a difference between argy-bargy and intentionally taking a wider line to hit someone off their bike.
“I think it’s just a shame that a rider has decided to put another person’s safety at risk like that. Like I said, we do understand the risks, but I think that was probably a step too far.”
The rider who crashed into Richardson, Japan’s Gento Suzuki, was disqualified from the race. He posted on X afterwards: “I’m sorry for disqualifying in Tachikawa. There are no excuses – it was simply down to my own lack of skill!”
Richardson said he has received no direct apology since the crash. “I haven’t spoken to him, don’t intend to speak to him, and that’s that,” he said.
Due to his injuries, Richardson had to miss the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where he was due to make his debut for Team England. He watched the competition instead from his hospital bed in Japan, as he waited for his broken scapula and swollen hip to heal.
“This was definitely the worst crash I’ve ever had,” he said. “It’s the first time that I’ve ever crashed and not basically gotten up and walked it off. I was just stuck to the floor. My whole right side just felt like it was on fire.”
Richardson returned to light turbo training a week later – “I was back on the bike before I could walk without a crutch” – and within two weeks was sprinting again at full tilt.
Capping his comeback, the double Olympic silver medallist has today been named as part of Great Britain’s 20-rider squad for the Track Worlds in Shanghai, China, scheduled for 14-18 October.
His injuries, he says, have taken longer to heal than expected. But he’s grateful they weren’t worse. “If I’d landed in a slightly different way, I might not be walking,” he said.
“Things have progressed very well, but at the time I thought the World Championships were more likely to be a no-go. I just really wanted to try and challenge myself and still make the Worlds.
“I haven’t raced since the crash, but there’s nothing to indicate that I’m not on my best possible form. If I was doing the times and the powers that I’m doing in training without the crash, I would have zero concern coming into the World Championships. I’ve got to take that as confidence.”
Richardson (right) beat world champion Harrie Lavreysen (left) to two European titles in February.
(Image credit: Olly Hassell/SWPix)
Richardson’s sole career world title came in the team sprint in 2022, then representing Australia prior to his nationality switch after the 2024 Paris Olympics. Five times a Worlds silver medallist, his big rival is the Netherlands’ Harrie Lavreysen, the most successful track cyclist of all time with 20 rainbow jerseys.
In Shanghai, Richardson will compete in the team sprint, individual sprint and keirin, and could face Lavreysen in all three finals.
“I always expect a high level of myself, and I do truly believe that I stand a chance at winning world titles,” Richardson said.
“Going there and medalling would obviously be fantastic – I think that’ll be a really good showing of the rehab and the team I’ve got at British Cycling getting me to that level, but I’m still going [to Shanghai] to win gold.”
The UCI Track World Championships will take place at the Shanghai Velodrome on 14-18 October. Watch live in the UK on BBC iPlayer and TNT Sports.
The full Great Britain squad for the event is below.
Men’s endurance
Matthew Bostock
Henry Hobbs
Noah Hobbs
Mark Stewart
Ethan Vernon
Ollie Wood
Women’s endurance
Megan Barker
Erin Boothman
Millie Couzens
Josie Knight
Abigail Miller
Anna Morris
Men’s sprint
Harry Ledingham-Horn
Ed Lowe
Matthew Richardson
Joe Truman
Women’s sprint
Sophie Capewell
Emma Finucane
Rhianna Parris-Smith
Lowri Thomas
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