Despite forecasts of heavy rain, Team HRC’s former champion Tim Gajser is looking forward to this weekend’s MXGP of Portugal at Agueda.

The Slovenian – who won the title in 2016 – has been steadily building at every round since he made his comeback in Holland last month after breaking his jaw at an Italian championship race at Mantova in mid-February.

“We’re going to one of the nicest tracks on the calendar so I’m excited to see what we can do there,” he said. “Agueda is a red clay track – so kind of similar to Redsand – with a very soft surface but hard underneath and with some stones.

“From the looks of it the weather might not be on our side but you’ll never know until Saturday comes. I really want to race hard and give the team the results we deserve so I’ll be pushing hard from free practice and see where we go from there.”

Although he missed the opening round in Argentina, Gajser currently sits ninth in the championship standings and heads to Portugal looking for his first podium finish of the year.