Image: Supplied.

Kawasaki Racing Team’s Mitch Evans featured inside the top six throughout the opening MXGP moto in Sweden but was ultimately impacted by arm-pump throughout the bout.

The Australian was seventh in timed practice but an early crash in the qualifying race proved costly as he was forced to work his way forward from the back of the field, ultimately taking the checkered flag in P18.

Overnight rain made conditions challenging on Sunday at Uddevalla, with Evans making a solid start to the opening moto and running inside the top six for the first seven laps. He then maintained P7 until the closing stages before completing the outing in ninth position.

Moto two was a challenging one for the number 43, able to finish P17 after two pit stops to change goggles. A 9-17 scorecard placed Evans 12th overall for the round.

“The bike is strong off the line so I knew I could still get a start from the outside and redeem myself for yesterday,” Evans recalled. “I felt really good in the first moto in sixth but then mid-race I got really bad arm-pump.

“I don’t know why – I haven’t had that for a long time – but the bike was riding me. The second moto was just unfortunate because I was feeling good despite the weather but I had to stop for fresh googles twice in the conditions.”

Just four rounds remain in the 2023 MXGP World Championship, with Evans currently 12th in the title-race despite being sidelined through the MXGPs of Argentina, Sardegna, Switzerland and Trentino with a thumb injury.