Image: Jeremy Hammer (Foremost Media).

KTM Factory Motocross Racing’s Luke Styke has commenced riding this week following a second consecutive Achilles injury that sidelined him for the 2016 season.

Styke only received clearance to ride last week, and with the Australian Supercross Championship opener just two weeks away, he confirmed to MotoOnline.com.au that he will not be contesting the series.

“I got the all-clear to start riding on Wednesday, so I’ll be back on the bike this week,” Styke explained. “I won’t be racing supercross, not at all.”

The former Lites champion initially injured his Achilles at the Sydney AUS-X Open in 2015, although after choosing a recovery method that allowed him to not go under the knife, he re-injured it just days into being back on the bike.

“When I did it the first time, I went non-operative so I didn’t get surgery. I got about three rides in and I was feeling okay, and then yeah, I went up a jump and snapped it [Achilles] again.”

Opting for surgery the second time around, Styke spoke of his confidence in the recovery of his injury.

“There is a lot more strength in my Achilles this time, it’s 100 per cent better. I gave it another two months compared to the first time, so it was a full six-month recovery.”

Styke admits it will be hard for him to land a ride for 2017 after having a year off, but he is adamant that he would like to remain with the KTM Factory Motocross Racing team.

“I would like to stay where I am, but it’s hard to have a year off and expect too much. Hopefully they [KTM] still have the belief in me and we can nail out another year.”

“Having the time off has definitely made me hungry to do some damage next year,” he added.

Jesse Dobson will continue as Styke’s replacement at KTM throughout the 2016 Australian Supercross Championship.