Ronan Dunne (Mondraker) has crashed out of contention at Red Bull Hardline Tasmania, the event he won last year at the start of what became a breakthrough season for the Irish rider.
Dunne lost control coming down the course, came off his bike and then slammed into a boulder at the side of the track, video below.
Though the crash was a very nasty one, and he said he was "extremely gutted" to miss the finals, he also confirmed that he appeared to have sustained no serious injuries.
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Dunne, the second-place qualifier, was forced to miss finals after the crash, which occurred during practice, meaning he was denied his chance of taking a third Hardline win after proving victorious in both Tasmania and Wales last year.
In his absence from that final in the early hours of this morning Irish time, Canadian rider Jackson Goldstone enjoyed a very successful comeback after serious injury.
He won by just over two tenths of a second, from young American Asa Vermette. Australian Tony Brosnan was 3rd.
