Two-time Olympian Matthew Richardson kept his looming defection hidden from AusCycling for nearly six months, holding secret talks with the rival British team in March this year.

On Monday, the 25-year-old penned an emotional Instagram post revealing he would represent Great Britain going forward, with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) approving the switch this week.

Richardson, who made his Olympic debut in Tokyo three years ago, won three medals at the Paris Games earlier this month, including silver in Sprint and Keirin events and bronze in the Team Sprint.

“Switching nationality was a difficult decision, and not one I took lightly,” Richardson explained.

“It was a personal choice, made after careful consideration of my career and future. It’s not something I decided on quickly or easily.

“I hope you can understand and support me as I continue to give my best in the sport I love.”

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AusCycling declared its disappointment after Richardson, who was born in Kent and moved to Australia as a nine-year-old, confirmed he would now represent his nation of birth.

“The announcement of Matt’s switch is disappointing and came as a surprise,” AusCycling Executive GM of Performance Jesse Korf said in a statement.

“We also understand that the desire to compete for a country one was born in can bring forth strong emotions.”

Richardson confessed a nationality switch was something he had in mind ever since the junior world championships in 2017.

“I just kind of felt this sense of, you know, seeing the British team compete and going ‘Oh, that would be (amazing)… That feels like my country’,” Richardson said in an interview with The Telegraph.

He said it again “crossed his mind” while speaking to reporters at the 2022 UCI Track Champions League final in London, but it wasn’t until he met with Great Britain’s assistant men’s sprint coach Jon Norfolk at February’s Track Nations Cup in Adelaide that the wheels for a defection were set in motion.

In the interview with The Telegraph, Richardson revealed he had conducted secret meetings with Norfolk and British Cycling performance director Stephen Park during March’s Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup in Hong Kong.

“I was out in Hong Kong with Australia but sneaking off to have a little secret meeting, and then going back,” Richardson told the British publication.

“It was the only way I could do it.”

Richardson, currently dating British cycling star Emma Finucane, could not tell anyone at Cycling Australia about his imminent defection while preparing for the Paris Olympics.

“I had to keep it that way, in case of possible deselection or anything like that,” Richardson continued.

“I’m sure they wouldn’t have. Cycling Australia have been great, but it was tricky. We’d sit down and have meetings about post-Olympics and what the next steps were going to be, and I’m sitting there thinking, ‘Oh, this is going to be hard, really hard’.

“As I say, I expect some people to be unhappy or disappointed or sad or frustrated or whatever the emotion is. It’s understandable. But I’ll try and keep everything as positive as possible. Otherwise it will kind of eat away at me a little bit.”

RICHARDSON’S FULL STATEMENT

I have made the decision to pack up my entire life and move half way across the world to begin the next chapter in my cycling career. It is with a sense of excitement and renewal I announce I have joined the Great British Cycling Team.

Switching nationality was a difficult decision, and not one I took lightly. It was a personal choice, made after careful consideration of my career and future. It’s not something I decided on quickly or easily. I deeply respect Australia and the Aus Cycling Team and it will always be a part of who I am. As this new chapter in my life begins, I would like to sincerely thank the coaches and support staff who have worked with me over many years in Australia. Special mention to Midland Cycle Club, WAIS and Aus Cycling with personal thanks to the two biggest coaching influences in my career, Clay Worthington and Matt Crampton. I want to say a huge thank you to my teammates for everything we’ve been through together. You’ve been there for the highs and the lows, and I’m so grateful for all the support, laughter, and hard work we’ve shared.

But this decision is about following my passion and pushing myself to new heights. This isn’t about leaving something behind, but about embracing a new chapter in my journey and chasing a dream, a dream that is to race for the county in which I was born.

I hope you can understand and support me as I continue to give my best in the sport I love.