Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen has expressed the importance of lining up at the season-opening round of the 2018 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship on Saturday, despite being heavily unprepared as he bounces back from injury.

After suffering multiple injuries to his right hand at San Diego’s round of supercross in February, Roczen only just received clearance to start riding three weeks prior to Hangtown, leaving minimal time for the German ace to adequately prepare.

Hangtown also marked Roczen’s first outdoor race since he wrapped up the premier class championship in 2016, charging to 6-16 race results for 11th overall.

“I knew this weekend was going to be kind of crazy,” Roczen explained. “We haven’t had a lot of time to prepare for the race, but I wanted to start the season off. We need seat time so there’s no better practice than racing. We knew we were going to show up and have to just wing it to see what we could do.

“I got the clearance to ride a few weeks ago, though it’s been very hard for me, with my thumb, to get a lot riding time in. We knew that we shouldn’t have high expectations because of the lack of preparation that I was able to get on the bike, but I’ve done everything I can and left nothing on the table in terms of what I can do to prepare my body.

“I’m incredibly fit, but my race fitness and bike fitness are just not there yet. I know each and every weekend, I’m going to be making big steps forward, which is important.”

The Pro Motocross championship returns to action this weekend for the second stop of the series at the notorious Glen Helen circuit in California.