McNally competing in Dublin last month (Photo: Ieva Japertaite)
Ireland’s Stephen McNally has suffered very serious injuries in a crash that saw him stretchered off the Manchester velodrome at the UCI World Masters Track Championships.
The European champion and Worlds silver medallist came down in a pile up midway through the points race that forced the heat to be abandoned.
He was taken from the track to hospital in Manchester on Wednesday night and it has now emerged he faces a long lay off from the sport such are the extent of his injuries.
Stickybottle understands from friends of McNally’s in Orwell CC that he suffered three broken ribs, seriously damaged the A/C joint in his shoulder and most seriously of all suffered a punctured lung.
McNally, the European masters pursuit champion, was taking part in a heat in the 45-49 years points race when he came down at the midway stage in the race, after 12 laps.
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A total of five riders crashed, with McNally hitting the deck hardest and needing to be taken from the track on a stretcher.
The race was called off after the incident and the points tally that stood after 12 laps counted as the result for qualifying for the final.
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Ironically, despite coming off worst in the collision McNally qualified for the final on the basis of his points tally when the race was abandoned.
However, his Worlds was over and he now faces a long lay off.
McNally had taken a silver medal in the pursuit on Monday night, only narrowly missing out on adding the World title to the European crown he won in Italy in August.
It had been a great year for him, not only winning the European title and medalling at the Worlds but also taking silver in the National Championships last month, when he was beaten only by Olympic hopeful and An Pos Ras stage winner Martyn Irvine.
We’ll keep you posted on any updates on Stephen’s condition.
Stickybottle would like to take this opportunity to wish him a speedy return home from England and a swift recovery. That’s a very painful and devastating end to a great season for him.
In happier times: McNally gets his Euro jersey and medal
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