Liam Killeen steps back from racing to heal his back
- By Steve Frothingham
- Published Nov. 6, 2009
- Updated Dec. 2, 2011 at 9:19 AM UTC
British star Liam Killeen is stepping down from the Trek World Racing team and says he may not commit to any team for 2010 as he struggles to overcome a recurring back injury.
Killeen, the reigning British national cross-country champion, Commonwealth Games gold medalist and U23 World Cup series winner, is resigning from the Trek team at the end of the year, the team announced Friday.
“Liam … has decided that he needs to take a year off from top level competitive racing in order to focus on his complete rehabilitation. Despite some solid performances during 2009, including the successful defense of his national title, it was very clear that the back injury was preventing Liam from racing at his best at World Cup level, a situation he has found increasingly difficult,” the team statement read in part.
“This year has been frustrating for me,” he said. “I have not lost my motivation for racing but I need to focus on recovering from injury. It would not be fair to commit to the team for 2010 in these circumstances. I wish Trek World Racing all the best for the coming season.”