If the opposition thought things were going to get easier from KTM’s pair of championship-leading MX1 factory team riders coming into this weekend’s eighth round of the Australian Motocross Championships, they might have another thought coming.

Championship leader Kirk Gibbs rode to an almost incomprehensible podium finish last time out while carrying a fractured shoulder blade and a level of pain that was almost enough to make a grown man cry.

With two weeks for the fracture to heal however, Gibbs rates himself at 95% or better coming into Nowra – and says he’s ready to continue the kind of speed and consistency which has generated a 63-point championship lead, and typified his 2015 season.

His KTM team-mate, championship second-placed Luke Styke has meantime been building back towards the kind of form that saw him win just the third-ever MX1 round of his career aboard a KTM 450 SX-F at Broadford in April.

The Jervis Bay rider will have the added advantage of being able to maintain his training routine right up to the last minute coming into this weekend’s round, which takes place just 10 minutes from his home.

“For Gibbsy, two weeks has been fantastic, his shoulder is feeling really good and he’s had quite a few rides,” said KTM Motocross Racing Team manager Rob Twyerould.

I think you’ll be feeling pretty much close to 100% by the weekend. Luke has the advantage of being able to sleep in his own bed the night before the race! A home race will be really exciting for him, I’m sure he’ll have lots of fans there cheering for him.

“I’m looking for big things from Luke over the next three rounds; we really want to consolidate that second in the championship, and we start testing the new bike straight after Nowra, which will be a really big boost for him. The secret for this round I really think is a good start, and both boys have been getting reasonable starts of late. If we can be just a little more aggressive on the first turn we’ll get through the weekend really well .”

Gibbs is anticipating a great weekend.

“Nowra should be good, I’ve ridden there a few times, including the press day there a few weeks back,” said Gibbs.

“Hopefully they get a good track prep in there and it turns out quite nice for Sunday. It’s a tight race track so the starts will be key there. My shoulder is definitely feeling a lot better now so I’m a lot more confident coming into this round than I was ahead of the last. I’m happy with the championship position that I’m in, but I don’t really want to just ride around to conserve points towards the championship, I want to keep going out there and giving it my all and try to see if we can wrap this up before the end.”

Styke is looking forward to racing on home turf.

“The home round feeling is great, Nowra is like 10 minutes down the road from me and I feel like it’s quite a benefit to be so familiar with the layout and the dirt,” said Styke.

“All my friends and family are going to be there plus I get to sleep on my own bed the night before so, it’s a lot easier to maintain your routines right up to the event because you’re not on the road. It’s got to be less stressful.

“The start is going to be a big thing, but if we can get clear of the traffic early on we’ll be good. There’s going to be a few people coming to see me, all my family is from down here and all my mates as well, so I’m looking forward to it.”

© Photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

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2015 Australian Motocross Championship after 7 of 10 rounds:

MX1 championship standings:

1. Kirk Gibbs 471, 2. Luke Styke 408, 3. Kade Mosig 397, 4. Adam Monea 394, 5. Lawson Bopping 375, 6. Daniel Reardon 340, 7. Jesse Dobson 338, 8. Dylan Long 331, 9. Cody Cooper 313, 10. Kale Makeham 262

MX2 championship standings:

1. Jay Wilson 403, 2. Luke Clout 397, 3. Takeshi Katsuya 384, 4. Jed Beaton 349, 5. Wade Hunter 329, 6. Luke Arbon 327, 7. Caleb Ward 311, 8. Nathan Crawford 292, 9. Geran Stapleton 277, 10. Dylan Wills 273, 11. Jack Simpson 243, 12. Riley Graham 243, 13. Joel Wightman 232, 14. Hamish Harwood 225

MXD championship standings:

1. Wilson Todd 387, 2. Connor Tierney 377, 3. Jayden Rykers 363, 4. Jesse Madden 320, 5. Bailey Coxon 311, 6. Lachlan Davis 257, 7. Jordan Hill 254, 8. Jonte Reynders 243, 9. Kaleb Barham 243, 10. Toby Stevens 241

MX Nationals 2015 Calendar:

Rd1 Horsham, VIC 29 March

Rd2 Appin, NSW 12 April

Rd3 Broadford, VIC 26 April

Rd4 Murray Bridge, SA 17 May

Rd5 Coolum, QLD 31 May

Rd6 Raymond Terrace, NSW 5 July

Rd7 Shepparton, VIC 19 July

Rd8 Nowra, NSW 2 August

Rd9 Toowoomba, QLD 23 August

Rd10 Coolum, QLD 30 August