Team Australia suffered another setback today ahead of the Motocross of Nations this weekend as MX2 rider, Jed Beaton, has been ruled out of the event due to a fractured collarbone sustained in a testing session.

The 2016 Australian Motocross MX2 champion made this announcement on social media today.

“Devastated to say I won’t be throwing on the green and gold to represent my country at the MXoN,” said Beaton. “I had a small crash on Friday riding at Lommel and fractured my Collarbone. [I’m] very sorry to everyone that made this possible and so sorry to let everyone down.”

Caleb Ward and Nathan Crawford, who finished second and third behind Beaton in MX2, are both out with injury. This makes for a tough decision on who will replace Beaton for Motorcycling Australia. An announcement is expected in the coming days.

Australia’s governing body could turn their attention to US-based Australians, Hayden Mellross and Jackson Richardson, both of whom are currently back home competing in the Australian Supercross Championship.

This is the second rider the team has had to replace in recent weeks as 2016 MX1 Australian Motocross runner-up, Kirk Gibbs, sustained a broken femur in a practice crash. He was replaced with former GP-regular Todd Waters.

[Update: September 20]

Australia has selected 17-year-old Mitch Evans as the replacement for Beaton. Evans, who is still in high school, won the Motul MX Nationals MXD championship this year.

Visit MotoOnline.com.au to learn more about the selection.

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Main image: Jeremy Hammer (Foremost Media)