Image: Foremost Media.

After spending the last six months sidelined due to a spinal injury sustained in the pre-season, Monster Energy CDR Yamaha’s Aaron Tanti is planning his comeback for the final two rounds of ProMX 2025.

A late signing to his former team, Tanti and the Craig Dack-led operation were preparing to chase the same success that earned them the 2022 MX1 title together, before an incident in January resulted in a fractured C1 vertebrae and a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Since then, Tanti has remained relatively low-key, detailing that not a lot could be done during the early stages of his recovery as the healing process unfolded. Beginning with Toowoomba, gate drops are at a premium heading into the Australian Supercross Championship later this year.

“It was definitely the longest time I did nothing,” Tanti told MotoOnline. “I ended up getting one of them external halos bolted on my head – it’s like a chest protector thing that the poles link up to, to the halo around your head, so your neck can’t move, which limited me to do a lot of things.

“I wasn’t allowed to sweat, and it was mid-summer, so I did a lot of sitting in front of the aircon, you know, playing the PlayStation, doing that sort of stuff. I pretty much did nothing for three months, which is a very long time, but once I got the halo off, we pretty much started rehab straight away with Fighting Fit Physio.”
A steady build ensued over the following months, with Tanti completing both rehabilitation and light training to arrive in a position where it was possible to jump on the motorcycle once more, with his first ride coming just over two weeks ago.

“We pretty much did another three months of [recovery], just slowly working our way up until we got the all clear to jump back on the bike, which was about two weeks ago. It’s just getting that bike fitness and skill back now, which is always the fun part.

“The first week was definitely…I think the first two rides I did, I did back to back days – it was just my eyes adjusting to going fast again. But after that, it’s been pretty good, we’ve been slowly building up. My coach threw me in the deep end last week, and I did two 30s already.”

As for the immediate plans, Tanti and the team are targeting a return to racing at Toowoomba’s seventh round of ProMX next Sunday, as well as lining up for the season-finale at Queensland Moto Park the following weekend.

“We’re going to attempt to race the last two, which I think we’re looking good for anyway,” continued Tanti. “That’s definitely what the loose plans are, and I would definitely like to get them last two rounds in just to get that gate-drop… After last week’s riding, I think we’re looking pretty good to do it. We are still playing it by ear and obviously making the final decision with the team, but yeah, I think we’re good.

“The plan is I’ll be able to do 30s by Toowoomba, maybe not at race pace or whatever, but I’ll be fit enough on the bike by then. And then, for me, the ultimate goal is – and with the team – is to perform in supercross, so I’ll transition straight across to that after QMP.”

Reconnecting with the CDR team, as well as entering the AUSX series with added race-fitness and competition to his credit is the immediate goal, with the 29-year-old looking to make up for the lost time throughout the early stages of 2025.

“Supercross is quite intense, even compared to motocross,” he explained. “So, going on a whole year without doing any racing and then rolling up to round one of supercross, it’s kind of like…gives you that extra bit of nerves. Hopefully racing in the last two [ProMX rounds] helps that a little bit.

“Just to get around and work with the team as well, because obviously, I have not been around all year just due to circumstances. It’ll be good to work with the team as well before we head into the supercross pre-season.”