Two of the three riders picked for the Motocross of Nations are now out of the event through injury as Max Anstie has confirmed he won’t be fit enough to ride. He damaged his lung and ribs in a start straight crash at the Lommel GP but fought through the pain to win the second moto. But a week later he fell ill and the injury diagnosed.

He joins Ben Watson on the sick bench after the Yamaha MX2 rider broke his wrist in a crash. That just leaves Shaun Simpson as the only fit rider for the event at Assen in Holland at the end of September.

Anstie said: “I’m out of the MXON this year. I have been having scans over the last 2 weeks – the doctors have said it will be too risky and that my lung could collapse if i push my body/lung to its limits too early.

“So I’m out of the Nations for this year. it’s really disappointing because I have been looking forward to this race for a long time now! The docs say I’ll be good to start pushing again by early October – just a shame all the races are over by then.”

Although he’s had a season marred by injury and bike swaps, Tommy Searle could be a natural replacement on the big bike and Adam Sterry on the MX2 machine. But Nathan Watson could also be an outside choice for the 450 ride. He’s been racing motocross in recent weeks following a break in the enduro season.

This weekend he’s racing a 150 KTM against 250s in the Apico 2-Stroke Festival, under the watchful eye of British team manager Mark Chamberlain.

Watson’s dad Rob Meek said: “He has raced motocross on the 450 several times this year but it was always his enduro-spec bike. He could go even better on a 450 MX bike.”