Image: Marc Jones.

Penrite Honda’s Lewis Woods has undergone surgery following his heartbreaking broken femur injury at Bathurst’s second round of the Penrite Australian Supercross Championship 10 days ago.

Woods gained his first factory opportunity with the Melbourne-based team for the SX2 season, delivering a fine fifth place finish on debut at Bathurst on the Friday night. But his progress came to a crushing halt on Saturday, forcing him out of the series.

“I was on a hot lap and it happened the last section before the finish,” Woods reflected. “It was a single-double section, or outside three. I went to the inside and tried to hop over the big one as it would of been a little quicker, but the backside of the second jump was so steep and as I clipped the top, the front dropped and I fell into the third jump.

“To be honest it wasn’t a big crash at all. The bike came over and smashed me in the head and I was ready to jump straight up, but I could feel my femur was broken, so I knew to just hold it tight and get to hospital.”

Complications with the injury saw Woods hospitalised for a full week under observation with compartment syndrome, undergoing three surgeries and losing over a litre of blood in the process. He’s since returned home to Victoria.

In a huge disappointment for the popular longtime privateer, Woods was immediately forced out of the supercross season where he was pitted alongside title favourite Gavin Faith and retiring multiple SX1 champion Jay Marmont.

“This injury was probably one of the most disappointing times in my career for me as I had such a great opportunity with the Penrite Honda team,” he added. “I was feeling so good on the bike and the team were doing such a good job.

“As it was my first factory ride, it was crazy the amount of support you receive. I feel I could have been a podium guy this year and that would have been a good stepping-stone for the 2015 season.”

Woods now faces a lengthy recovery period that could see him contest the MX Nationals in the MX1 ranks and certainly return for another shot at supercross in 2015.

“Right now I’m home on the couch for two weeks, then I can start putting 50 percent weight through and start physio,” he explained. “As for being back on the bike, I think it will be around March next year.

“I definitely plan on racing the 2015 supercross, not sure what class but MX Nationals are still up in the air. Maybe a few local rounds Open class, but not Lites as I don’t agree with the two-stroke rule.

“Just want to take the chance to thank everyone who has helped this year: the Goulett family, all my sponsors who got me to the MX Nationals, Yarrive Konsky and the Penrite Honda team for giving me the opportunity for ASX while it lasted, and also all my friends and family who helped with getting out of hospital and back home these last couple weeks.”