Image: Foremost Media.

Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team’s Richie Evans is approaching Conondale’s sixth round of the Pirelli MX Nationals like it’s the season-opener has he plots his return from injury.

Evans was sidelined following Appin’s second stop of the series where he sustained significant injuries to his hand, which later required surgery and subsequently sidelined him for a number of weeks.

“I’m feeling better, but it’s been a bit of a slow process,” Evans explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “Every time I get on the bike it feels stronger and stronger, so that’s a positive – I’ve been back on the bike for around three and half weeks now.

“I raced a CQ race at Gladstone – it was good to get the race jitters out of the way again, because I haven’t finished two national, so it was good to get into it and get the nerves out of the way.

“I’m taking this weekend as if it’s round one again – that’s sort of how I have to do it – I’ve been away from racing for eight weeks or so. I’m not really expecting anything, I just want two solid results and build from there for the rest of the season.”

The Queenslander was fifth overall at Newry’s MX Nationals opener, while he also displayed promising pace at Appin, charging to eighth in moto one before his day came to a premature end.