Image: Marc Jones (Foremost Media).

The three-week break between Appin’s second round of the Pirelli MX Nationals and this weekend’s double-header at Wonthaggi in Victoria has played a crucial role Jayden Rykers’ recovery and management of a shoulder injury sustained at the opening stop of the series.

Further medical examinations revealed a fracture to his shoulder blade, and after attempting to line-up at Appin where he recorded the second fastest lap-time in qualifying, his weekend ultimately came to a premature end when the same shoulder dislocated in race one.

With additional time for rehabilitation, the Western Australian talent will return to the competitive MX2 field this weekend as the popular Victorian venue hosts rounds three and four on consecutive days.

“Things started three weeks prior to the first round where I had an injury to my hand called skiers thumb,” Rykers explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “[At] round one a stupid decision by another rider resulted in us both being on the floor, the impact to my rotator cuff shut my whole shoulder down completely, resulting in not starting moto two.

“Further scans showed a fracture to my shoulder blade, and at Appin the same shoulder dislocated in moto one. So I had a lot going on in a period of five weeks with only being on the bike at the rounds I tried to race. You’ll see me back at Wonthaggi, this three-week break between rounds has given me enough time to do things correctly in terms of the juggle between rest and rehab.

“I know the confidence was built a long time before round one with how I prepared, [so] to have shown the pace during the time where the odds have been heavily against me speaks for itself and the outlook I have on this whole situation that has unfolded.”

With one moto finish under his belt – 12th after rebounding from an incident in the first race of the year – the Raceline Pirelli KTM ace sits 27th in the standings as the series heads into a critical point of the championship with three rounds set to take place over two weekends.