Alex Porter has a broken collarbone, throwing a spanner in Australia's preparations for the world track cycling championships.
While the team pursuit rider should recover in time for the February worlds in Poland, the injury will put a significant dent in his training.
Setback: Alex Porter, seen here competing last year, has suffered an untimely injury.Credit:Fairfax Media
The South Australian suffered the injury on Saturday night when he crashed during the madison at the Australian championships in Melbourne.
The impact snapped Porter's helmet in half, but the worst damage was to his left shoulder. He immediately went to hospital and Cycling Australia soon confirmed the injury.
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Porter is a key member of the men's team pursuit squad, which will be one of the best gold medal hopes for Australia at the Tokyo Olympics.
Australian cycling great Brad McGee famously won bronze in the individual pursuit at the Sydney Olympics, only 17 days after having a metal plate surgically inserted to fix his collarbone fracture.
While incredibly painful, the injury is so common in cycling it is regarded as an occupational hazard.
Porter was part of the combination that broke the world record in April at the Commonwealth Games.
Porter, Sam Welsford, Kelland O'Brien and Leigh Howard rode three minutes 49.804 seconds, going under 3:50 for the first time.
He has the starter role, meaning Porter is on the front of the four-rider paceline for the opening two laps and brings them up to top speed.
The February worlds will be the next chapter in the fierce team pursuit rivalry between Australia and Great Britain, the reigning Olympic and world champions.
Australia also took the world record away from the British, who set the previous mark at the Rio Olympics.
Porter was also a member of the squad that won last year's world title.
Australia did not ride in the team pursuit this year at the world championships, only sending a small team to the event.
Instead, the track cycling program used the Commonwealth Games as a key stepping stone to the Tokyo Olympics.
AAP
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