Barely five months after rupturing his Achilles tendon in Round 16 of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross season, Eli Tomac was back on his Yamaha testing for 2024.
“Here we go,” Tomac said. “Back in the saddle.”
Tomac was in attendance for the SuperMotocross World Championship finale at the Los Angeles Coliseum and said at the time he was planning to be back on the bike in a few weeks, citing an early date of the middle of October or beginning of November. He beat that prediction by a couple of weeks.
His post included a brief snippet of him riding on a test track.
Tomac was leading the Supercross championship at the time of his injury, entering the round 18 points ahead of eventual champion Chase Sexton. Tomac was leading the main event when he landed hard following a jump and sustained the injury.
In early August, Tomac announced he would return in 2024 with Yamaha in what was described as a “Supercross only” deal for now. But that is also how he began 2023 before he and the team announced in late-February they extended the contract and would compete in the Pro Motocross outdoor championship and the SuperMotocross World Championship.
Tomac was seeking his third straight SuperMotocross championship after winning both the Supercross and Pro Motocross titles in 2022.
Despite missing the final Supercross round and the entire Motocross season, Tomac qualified for the SuperMotocross World Championship and was credited with finish 23rd by virtue of the 13 points he obtained by being seeded ninth entering Round 1 at zMax Dragway.
2023 Injury Reports
450 riders
Justin Barcia, collarbone and shoulder | re-injured in SMX finale
Lorenzo Locurcio, shoulder
Cooper Webb, concussion at Nashville | banged up ahead of RedBud practice
Eli Tomac, Achilles tendon | It was just a freak deal | returning in 2024
Christian Craig, elbow
Marvin Musquin, wrist
Malcolm Stewart, knee | Signs two-year extension
Chase Sexton, concussion | returned at RedBud
Jason Anderson, vertebrae | returned at RedBud
Dylan Ferrandis, concussion | returned at Pala
Aaron Plessinger, hip | returned at Salt Lake City
250 riders
Hunter Lawrence, back
Seth Hammaker, practice crash in SMX Round 3
Austin Forkner, knee | returned at Spring Creek | misses last two SMX rounds
Hardy Munoz, head and face
Guillem Farres, arm
Jeremy Martin, wrist | renews with ClubMX
Nate Thrasher, hip
Cameron McAdoo, shoulder
Jordon Smith, wrist and thumb | returned at zMax Dragway
Stilez Robertson, knee| returned at Unadilla
Seth Hammaker, arm and wrist | returned at RedBud | misses season finale
Jo Shimoda, collarbone | returned at Atlanta
Jalek Swoll, arm | returned at Pala