Image: Damien Ashenhurst.

KTM Motocross Racing Team rider Kirk Gibbs will line up at this weekend’s Broadford round of the Monster Energy MX Nationals, determined to race through the uncomfort of a broken hand.

Gibbs chipped the knuckle of his right pinky finger after qualifying fastest for the final round of the New Zealand Motocross Championship at Taupo just last Saturday.

The Queensland-based national number five immediately withdrew from last weekend’s round, and x-rays confirmed the fracture, however a week of rest has seen the swelling subside, and the South Australian is now certain that he will not miss round one.

“It’s been a pretty relaxing week for me not doing too much, some off the bike training but other than that just trying to rest my hand,” Gibbs said. “I got another set of x-rays done when I got back from New Zealand,and I spoke to the doc about it.

“There is a fracture there like we thought, but it doesn’t look too bad or feel too bad and the doctor understands what position I’m in so he doesn’t really have a problem with it and RACESAFE can’t see why I shouldn’t race. It’ll just be the matter of dealing with a little bit of pain that I’m going to get.

“Obviously I still want to do well, I felt like I was in really good shape on the bike and I hope this doesn’t put a damper on things too much. I’ll just keep an open mind and keep going in there like I always do, to ride my best and be at the pointy end.”

The news comes as a big relief for KTM fans, after team rider Ford Dale was ruled out of the opening rounds just a week earlier, having broken his arm in a practice accident.