An unbelieving Josh Coppins could miss the opening round of the world MX1 motocross championship after breaking two toes in an accident while training in France at the weekend.
The New Zealander crested a hill at the Dunkirk circuit only to find a local rider picking up hismachine in front of him.
Coppins' right foot bore the brunt of the collision as he caught the other bike's footpeg and was operated on hours later.
While the injury, which did not need to be pinned, is being allowed to heal normally, Coppins, 31, may not be ready to race the the round one of the world championship at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands on April 6th.
"I cannot believe my luck, this is the third injury in a row that I have had that was not my fault," Coppins said on his website.
"My foot has to heal naturally and we might run out of time; I'm not too sure how things will go at the moment.
"I am trying to stay positive but clearly, this was not what I wanted. It is a long season though and we have to keep looking ahead."
The Yamaha rider had won races in Italy and France over the last six weeks in a promising pre-season period.
He claimed five grand prix victories in 2007 and was leading the world championship by 107 points until a freak accident at the Czech Republic grand prix, four rounds before the end of the campaign, caused him to surrender what would have been his first world title.
