Latvian athlete Pauls Jonass will miss his home stage in Ķegum in the MXGP championship next weekend. He returned to competition last weekend in France after suffering a serious fall in practice.
This time, Jonas experienced another fall already during the qualification training, when he had to change his trajectory in the springboard due to a slower athlete in front of him.
As a result, Jonas fell in the trot and injured his thumb, subsequently not starting either the qualification or the stage itself.
A couple of hours before the French Grand Prix, the athlete said on social networks that he will go back to Belgium for more in-depth tests.
They revealed that Jonas has torn ligaments in his right thumb, which will require surgery.
It is planned in two days, on Thursday in Belgium.
It is not yet known how long Jonas will be sidelined after the surgery or when he can be seen back in competition.
Not the news I wanted to share but… following closer assessment on Monday at Herentals hospital, I was diagnosed with a torn ligament in my thumb which will require surgery. I will have an operation on right thumb on Thursday. As a result, I will miss my home GP???? pic.twitter.com/YlXOm6SpSu
— Paul Jonas (@PaulJonass41) May 23, 2023
A year ago, Jonas showed the best result of the season in Ķegum, placing second overall.
Before this year’s season, he changed his motorcycle, riding a Honda-made vehicle this season. After posting the fifth-best result in the sum of two races in the first stage, he did not fare so well in the next, but later suffered an injury.
The Kegum stage will become the fourth in a row that he misses in the 2023 season.
After seven stages in the MXGP championship, the overall leader with 342 points is Spaniard Jorge Prado, who is 24 points ahead of Geoffrey Hurlings.
The 56 points won by Jonas in the first two stages allow him to be in 18th position.
