Image: Foremost Media.

Current Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) E2 points leader Daniel Milner will face a race against time to be fit for next month’s title-deciding final rounds after injuring his shoulder at Kingston SE yesterday.

The KTM DM31 Racing rider was denied the chance of clinching the 2024 title early after yet another dominant victory on Saturday, with his weekend coming to an abrupt halt on Sunday morning when he crashed at speed during the second sprint.

Multi-time AORC champion Milner later revealed that his shoulder had dislocated in the incident before popping it back in and continuing through the test, however further dislocations prompted him to withdraw from round 10 altogether.

“Was an up and down weekend at rounds nine and 10 of the AORC, with a win in Saturday’s three-hour Cross Country, having an awesome battle with Kyron Bacon, who was running an impressive pace,” Milner stated post-race.

“Unfortunately, in today’s round 10 sprints I had a big fall in the second test and dislocated my shoulder. We strapped it the best we could to try get back out there, unfortunately within the two kilometres of the test I rode, it popped out three more times – almost putting me in to a tree on the third time.

“After that I decide it was time to pull up. It’s disappointing knowing all the hard work that is going in to this and we will be doing every single thing possible to be at the last round. Thanks to everyone that helped me all weekend, also to the people the continue to support me.”

Milner still holds a comfortable 26-point advantage over Jonte Reynders (Sherco) in the E2 championship standings, although with less than three weeks before rounds 11 and 12 at Nowra on 14-15 September, it is a tight turnaround for the Victorian to be able to continue his winning form.