Archibald not dwelling on what-ifs after freak injury

Archibald is a two-time Olympic gold-medallist

The freak injury that ruled Britain's Katie Archibald out of this summer's Olympics was both "debilitating and freeing", according to the Scottish cyclist.

The 30-year-old, who won Olympic gold in both 2016 and 2020, broke two bones in her leg and tore ligaments off the bone after tripping over a step in her garden in June.

She was aiming to compete in the team pursuit, madison and omnium in Paris but is refusing to dwell on what might have been.

"It was such a freak occurrence that that’s helped in a way, because I can’t say ‘why did you never step outside your house’," she said.

"It was a step that I go over every day.

"If there had been some kind of crossroads where I felt like there was anything in my control [it might have been different], but it felt completely removed from my control and that was both debilitating and freeing."

Archibald, who has also won five World Championship gold medals, was given no chance of recovering in time for the Games by surgeons and doctors.

"Even if the recovery went twice as fast, there was still no way I’d make it in time," she added.

"There was a real kindness in that black and white attitude - and that’s really helped me.

"I wanted a grey area to give me a bit of hope and taking that off the table has meant that I can focus on a long recovery road."