England star cyclist Matthew Richardson has withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games and a spicy clash against Australia — the country he represented at the Olympics. “Unfortunately, due to an injury sustained in international racing earlier this week, Matt Richardson will no longer be able to compete for Team England at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games,” Team England said in a statement. “The Aussies want me to smash him, the Brits want him to smash me and that’s the way it goes,” Hoffman said when the Australian cycling Games team was announced. Richardson, Hoffman and Matt Glaetzer, who has retired, won Australia a breakthrough bronze medal in the team sprint at the Paris Olympics. The four-day Games track cycling program starts on Thursday night (AEST) at Glasgow’s Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, with the men’s team sprint one of the first gold medals to be decided.