After showing encouraging signs of returning to the front of the EMX250 field, Liam Owens has suffered another major setback that is set to bring his 2026 campaign to an early end.
The young rider crashed at Montevarchi, with the incident resulting in a shoulder injury. Owens revealed that he broke his shoulder in three places and has since undergone surgery.
While there had initially been hope of a quicker recovery, the rehabilitation process is expected to take longer than first anticipated. As a result, Owens now expects to miss the remainder of the season, although he hasn’t completely ruled out making a return for the final round if his recovery progresses well.
The injury is a cruel blow after Owens had begun to rediscover his form following a difficult start to the EMX250 championship. In recent rounds, he had looked increasingly competitive and was once again battling towards the front of the field before his progress was halted.
Owens shared the following update with fans on social media:
“Surgery done. Recovery time on shoulder will be longer than first expected … which means my season ends here. Not how I pictured it, but setbacks are part of the game. New goal: be back for the final round. Locked in, rebuilding, and coming back stronger than ever. This isn’t the end, it’s just part of the story. I’ll be back”.
Despite the disappointing news, Owens remains determined to finish his rehabilitation on a positive note. While his primary focus is now on recovering fully, he has set himself the ambitious target of returning for the final round of the championship if his shoulder heals as planned.
