Current four-time Monster Energy MX Nationals Champion Jay Marmont has dismissed rumours that he’ll sit out this weekend’s Murray Bridge round of the series after being forced out of Wanneroo’s third and final moto in WA yesterday.

Marmont was on a mission in the opening two motos of the round, finishing eighth in moto one after working his way from the back due to a first lap fall, and then he broke through for his first moto win of 2012 in moto two for Monster Energy Kawasaki.

After battling a knee injury all season long since switching to Kawasaki, Marmont was enjoying another breakthrough performance in the final moto as he diced with series leaders Josh Coppins and Brad Anderson, until a pair of crashes forced him out.

Concern was high for the 29-year-old as he was attended to by Suzuki RACESAFE, with the conditions and his frustrating injuries taking their toll as the laps wound down during the 30-minute moto.

“I got the holeshot and then went back to third on the first lap,” Marmont explained. “I managed to overtake Josh and Brad again, pulled out a bit of a gap and then hit a really bad case of fatigue. Everything started going blury, I crashed and my glove ripped off.

“I got going again and was riding the second half of the moto without my glove in third, then I crashed again and hit my calf really hard. I tried getting back on the bike to start it, physically couldn’t get it started and I just collapsed.

“They had to cut my nylons off, cut the tape off that was keeping my knee in tact for the weekend, but luckily I didn’t do anymore damage to my knee. It’s fine, I just have a really bad corked calf muscle, so the plan is to rest for the weekend.

“I’ll try to ride Friday, hopefully get some time in before Murray Bridge and get my body back in tact in the meantime so I’m 100 percent fit for next weekend.”

Despite his woes, Marmont was proud to win for Troy Carroll and the Monster Energy Kawasaki team in moto two, which comes as a certain confidence boost as the series’ halfway point approaches.

“It felt awesome to finally get my first win for TC and the team,” he added. “The first moto didn’t go to plan, I crashed and then worked my way from last to eighth, so in the second moto I just put it all on the line.

“I got the holeshot again and then Josh actually passed me and I was pretty happy to sit behind him and suss him out. Once I realised I was gaining momentum, I crept up on him during the last couple of laps and made the move.

“I was able to hold on to the chequered flag and it felt good. This year has been very tough for me, I’ve been injury ridden and it’s definitely been the most testing year of my career so far. It was unreal to get a race win.”

Marmont slipped to seventh in the title chase after four of 10 rounds, now 76 points in arrears of former teammate Coppins.