Image: Foremost Media.

Two-time defending Australian supercross SX2 champion Jackson Richardson has commenced riding after he was rubbed out of the Pirelli MX Nationals with a shoulder injury.

The popular Queenslander was sidelined at Wonthaggi’s double-header in May, where he later underwent surgery to repair damage sustained to his dislocated shoulder.

Richardson returned to the track last week, easing his way back into motocross before making an anticipated transition to supercross as soon as next week.

“I just got back on the bike about a week ago, and right now I’m just taking it easy,” Richardson explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “I’ve just been riding outdoors and easing back into – I’ll start riding supercross next week and start getting dialled in for Jimboomba.

“[My shoulder] feels pretty good, it’s not 100 percent right now, which is expected, but I’m back earlier than what I was expecting – I can’t complain too much. I couldn’t be happier with it right now and my shoulder feels great.”

With Jimboomba’s season-opening round of supercross looming in just over three weeks time, the Penrite CRF Honda Racing contender acknowledges he’ll be on the back foot heading into the series, however it’s a scenario he’s all too familiar with, experiencing the same lead-up in a successful 2017 campaign.

“I might be a little bit behind the eight ball, but I’ll just have to see how it pans out,” he continued. “I won’t know for sure until I ride supercross and get dialled in a bit, but I’ll probably be behind at round one, for sure. My goal for that one is to just get through it with some points and be in the hunt early.”

The Australian Supercross Championship is slated the begin on 15 September in Queensland and will span over five rounds before finishing up at Sydney’s prestigious Monster Energy AUS-X Open.