Kiwi motocross rider Courtney Duncan has seen her world title hopes dashed for the third consecutive year, with a foot injury ruling her out of the final two rounds of racing.
Duncan, 22, currently holds a 21-point lead in the FIM Women's Motocross World Championship (WMX), after winning five of the eight races so far contested throughout Europe.
Each race carries 25 points for the win, so she is unlikely to maintain her advantage during her absence.
With the penultimate round scheduled for the Netherlands next weekend, surgeons have warned Duncan risks permanent damage, if she attempts to race on the right foot injured in June.
After nine weeks on the sidelines, she returned to her Yamaha bike, but aggravated the injury 10 days ago.
"We have sought three different surgeons' opinions and all of them concurred that under no circumstances can she ride a bike for three months," said team manager Josh Coppins. "They all said there's not even a remote chance she can ride this weekend.
"It's not an injury that's just about managing the pain, as I know Courtney would just grin and bear it. It could affect her for the rest of her life, if she damages her foot any further."
This isn't the first time Duncan has seen her championship aspirations crumble. Two years ago, after winning three of her first four races in her debut campaign, she crashed into a photographer, missed two rounds through injury and couldn't make up the lost ground.
Last year, in the season's penultimate race, she swerved to avoid a mid-race pile-up, crashed into a fence, but recovered to finish sixth. That result ultimately cost her the title, despite winning the final race by 46s.
"I am so disappointed for her, especially off the back of a rollercoaster three years," said Coppins. "This year, she rode so well and put herself in the best possible position to bring home a world title.
"The other WMX riders have been given a bit of a gift now, but that's sport - there's soaring highs and crushing lows."
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