STEVEN Burke has suffered a broken collarbone after a training crash in Majorca.

The 26-year-old, from Colne, was training for the team time-trial when he went down on Sunday and suffered the injury.

Despite the injury British Cycling hope Burke will be able to resume training shortly for the Track Cycling World Championships, which take place at the end of February in Paris.

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The ‘Colne Cyclone’ will be a key member of the team pursuit squad that travels to the French capital for the event from February 18 to February 22.

Burke was back in the gym the day after his injury and hopes to be back on the track shortly.

“I’m really disappointed to be injured at this stage of the season, but I’ve been in the gym on Monday and hope to be back training on the turbo this week,” he said.

“I aim to be back on the track as soon as possible so that I can resume training for the track world championships at the end of February.”

Technical director Shane Sutton said Burke had been showing good form in training before his crash.

“The accident on Sunday was unfortunate, particularly as Steve had been showing some great form of late,” he said. “But these things do happen and we have an excellent team of people who will help Steve get back to full fitness as soon as possible.”

Burke was not due to be selected for the final round of the 2014/15 Track Cycling World Cup, although the injury definitely ruled him out of contention for the squad.

The focus for the event in Cali, Columbia, from January 16 to 18 is on Olympic Academy Programme riders getting top-flight international competition experience.

Qualification for February’s world championships in Paris was secured after the first two rounds, meaning star names could be rested for Columbia, with youngsters given the chance to gain valuable experience.

Burke featured in the team pursuit squad for the World Cup events in Guadalajara and London in November and December, alongside Jonathan Dibben, Andrew Tenant, Ed Clancy, Owain Doull and Mark Christian.

In Mexico they finished runners-up to Australia, but they made a triumphant return to the Olympic velodrome last month, the scene of Burke’s Olympic gold in the same event in 2012, when they edged New Zealand into second place.

None of the squad that competed in the first two rounds will travel to Cali for the event on a fast track that sits over 1,000 metres above sea level.

The men’s endurance squad features Germain Burton, Matthew Gibson, Christopher Latham, Mark Stewart and Oliver Wood.

Of the selection Sutton said: “I am pleased with how the team has performed so far in this World Cup cycle and we’re well on track as to where we want to be in terms of qualifying places for the Olympics.

“This has eased the pressure on us slightly and has enabled us to select a younger team for the final round.”