smets

Team Suzuki rider Joel Smets is on the road to recovery from a serious bacterial infection.

Team Suzuki's Joel Smets remains in intensive care in Belgium while he recovers from a serious bacterial infection, which struck shortly after the GP of Great Britain two weeks ago.

Joel Smets will be on the hunt for his second podium result of the 2004 MX1 world championships this weekend at the Grand Prix of Germany, having sampled his first taste of champagne last Sunday with third position at the Grand Prix of the Netherlands.

The sandy setting of Valkenswaard is the host of this weekend's fourth round of the 2004 MX1 world championship, the Grand Prix of the Netherlands, an event new Suzuki rider Joel Smets has won for the past three years.

New Suzuki rider Joel Smets has been ruled out of action for at least two weeks and is likely to miss most of his pre-world championship commitments after an MRI scan in Belgium today revealed damage to the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee due to a crash last weekend in Italy.

2003 650cc world champion Joel Smets was hospitalised today after a fall at the Mantova pre-season international race, in Italy. During a one-lap shootout the Belgian fell heavily from his four-stroke Suzuki and received a blow to the chest in the ensuing tangle.

Despite Stefan Everts' dominating ride in Lierop yesterday, countryman Joel Smets kept himself in title contention for both the MX GP and 650cc classes.