CYCLING: A back injury has forced two-time Olympic champion Anna Meares to withdraw from team sprint qualifying at the track cycling World Cup at Cambridge in New Zealand.

Coach Gary West said Meares picked up the injury two days ago when she tweaked her lower back in a start while training on the track.

"She's being treated - she's pretty good. She was on the track this morning where we did a little bit of work," West told NZ Newswire.

"Anna's not getting any younger. We push her, and we push the other sprint athletes, to the edge a lot of the time, particularly in the gym.

"She has a bit of a history with back complaints over the years - it's not uncommon in sprint cyclists."

West said next year's Rio Olympics was the priority.

"We're not going to take any risks; there's too much at stake.

"The big dance is in August next year, so we'll just see how things transpire over the next 24 hours."

The 32-year-old Australian has been replaced in the sprint team by Stephanie Morton, who will combine with Kaarle McCulloch in Friday's qualifying ahead of Saturday's finals.

A decision is yet to be made on whether Meares, who won sprint gold at the London Olympics and the 500m time trial eight years earlier in Athens, will race on Saturday or Sunday.

"She improved significantly this morning from the last 24 hours, so she may ride team sprint; she may ride keirin," West said.

"If there's a risk, or we're not entirely happy, we won't take that risk."

AAP