SHANE STOKES

Although he has been back in Ireland for several days, the 2013 world scratch race champion Martyn Irvine is still waiting for an operation to fix the collarbone he fractured in last weekend's World Cup omnium event in Guadalajara, Mexico.

"There is some cut in my arm that got infected [due to his crash], so they want to clear the infection out before they put a knife anywhere near me," he told The Irish Times yesterday.

Irvine said it is likely he will be operated on next Tuesday. After that he will work on his rehabilitation and get ready for the London round, which runs from December 5th to 7th.

“I need to start all the track World Cups or I don’t go to the Olympics, basically,” he said, explaining the difficulty of the situation he is in. Irvine is uncertain if the UCI will allow him any leeway in relation to that, and said that he might have to start in London, even if he will not be in a position to actively fight for a high result.

As regards the world championships in February, he said he still hoped to be in shape to chase another gold. “Maybe I can hit the World Cup in Cali flat out and do well, qualifying for the worlds and then keep going from that.”

The British Madison Genesis team confirmed yesterday he will be part of the roster in 2015, along with fellow Irishman Dom Jelfs.

In other news, 2000 Olympian Deirdre Murphy Bader has passed away after a battle with cancer. The US-based Irishwoman was world masters champion, a seven time medallist in the same competition and twice US national masters champion.

After becoming a USA Cycling coach she created the New York based Star Track programme, which helps the physical and social development of children via cycling. She is survived by her husband Larry and 7 yr old son Ethan. May she rest in peace.