News 12 May 2024

Thumb surgery to put Webb out for extended period

Expected to be sidelined for eight weeks while recovering.

Image: Octopi Media.

Supercross runner-up Cooper Webb has been forced out of competition for an extended period of at least eight weeks after confirming he will undergo surgery on his left thumb tomorrow, delaying his Pro Motocross season.

Webb initially injured his thumb in Birmingham – tearing his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) – and it’s become increasingly worse since, impacting his title chances despite having the red plate following his fourth win of the year in Foxborough.

“I have surgery tomorrow on my left thumb,” he announced. “I’m going to get it fixed with the ligament damage that I have. I look forward to starting that process – the doctor says I’ll be off for about eight weeks and get back to work after that. I’ll be back to try and race as many outdoor nationals as I can and come to SMX and get some redemption.”

Webb sealed second in the final 450SX standings after claiming a ninth podium of 2024 with P3 in Salt Lake City, motivated to pick up where he left off in challenging defending champion Jett Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) when the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) finals series returns in September.

“It was awesome to end the season on the podium despite the adversity we’ve been dealt these past few weeks,” Webb reflected on Saturday night. “I had to dig deep for that one tonight and I’m pumped to share the podium with my teammate [Justin Cooper] for his first 450SX podium.

“It’s disappointing to be missing the beginning of Pro Motocross, but fixing this thumb injury is a must to be at my best for the remainder of the year. The goal is to come back for the final stretch of the outdoor season and come into the SMX playoffs swinging.”

Webb’s thumb injury places him on the sidelines with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammate Eli Tomac at the beginning of the outdoors, the latter who has also required surgery on a ligament injury following Denver’s penultimate round of Supercross.

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