Track World Cup...ouch!

[JV911]

splinter pic

MANCHESTER: Malaysian cyclist Azizulhasni Awang was recovering on Sunday after surgery to remove a splinter from the Manchester Velodrome that went through his leg during a crash at the track World Cup event.

Awang managed to remount his bike after the high-speed crash in Saturday's Keirin final and stagger across the line to claim a bronze medal.

He was rushed to a local hospital but medics waited until Sunday to carry out the procedure to remove the 20-centimetre piece of wood from his left calf.

"Operation done. Splinter taken out cleanly," Awang wrote on his Twitter account. "Thanks for the prayer n support."

Awang, who is renowned for his trademark wheelie as he crosses the line, has been ruled out of the world championships next month.

"He was in a lot of pain but he's a really tough kid, all these Keirin riders are," Malaysia's head coach John Beasley was quoted as saying on the Daily Telegraph website.

"It was decided to leave it overnight to get a specialist surgical team in and scan the injury from all angles to aid the operation.

"The good news is that there doesn't appear to be much nerve damage, which is your first worry."

The focus now for the 23-year-old Awang is regaining fitness in time for the 2012 Olympics in London.

"We will take it easy now and travel back to Melbourne, where we are based, next week and take our time with the recovery," Beasley said.

"Another thing to avoid with these injuries is infection after surgery. His season is obviously over so there is no rush, our priority now is to get him right for the Olympics.

"I've been involved in cycling a long time and you hear tales of these injuries, riders being speared through the ribs, but that is by far the worst I have seen although initially I wasn't aware of it."

British rider Jason Queally, the Sydney Olympic champion in 2000, now rides only against the clock - rather than elbow-to-elbow races - after crashing at an Edinburgh track in 1996 and being pierced by a 46 centimetre piece of wood.

[foo on patrol]

That shows some real b**ls to get up and ride with that hanging out your leg!