Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s Kevin Strijbos is to undergo an operation on his troublesome right wrist this week in Belgium, forcing him out of the third round of the MXGP World Championship at Neuquen, Argentina.

The 29-year-old has been complaining of pain in the joint after suffering tendonitis and having a similar procedure before the start of the season almost four weeks ago in Qatar.

Strijbos has been competing with pain-killing injections and went for an MRI scan on Monday followed by more examinations on Tuesday, where he was advised to have further corrective surgery.

“I spoke with the team about the problem and we have decided to get the operation done and try to get back to fitness and speed as soon as possible,” he said. “I’ve been riding with injections and it means I cannot get up to my real speed.

“I could see that last weekend in the Belgian championship that something had to be done. I was prepared to go to Argentina this weekend and keep trying to do my best but it is also frustrating for me and the team to be racing like that.

“I think this way I might be able to come back and get some track time in Italy and then start to build up for Holland and be back to normal. I never want to skip races but I know I will be able to get something like 13 good GPs done and still be able to push.”

The operation is likely to mean a three-week period of convalescence and the Belgian has a tentative aim to be in action again for the Grand Prix of Trentino, Italy, on 19 April.