A CHANCE to race some of the world’s leading motorbike talent at the weekend in Spain ended prematurely when Warrington’s Aidan Collins came off his machine.

The 32-year-old from Thelwall was relishing a bid to face the likes of MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez, Isle of Man TT star Guy Martin and three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss in the Superprestigio DTX at Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi.

But Collins, British Short Track Champion from 2010 to 2013 and runner-up this year, ended up a spectator at the side of the 200m dirt track with a broken hand.

“It was a complete disaster,” said Collins, son of 1982 World Speedway Championship runner-up, Les.

“I crashed heavily in practice on Wednesday, suffering concussion and a hand injury and so I missed practice on Friday night in the hope to be fit for practice on Saturday, before the event.

“I managed 10 laps but just couldn’t hold on to the bike even though I was pumped up with strong painkillers and had intensive physio.”

X-rays upon his return to Warrington on Tuesday confirmed a broken right hand, ending a successful campaign that included third-place in the FIM Flat Track World Cup.

He was unfortunate in losing his British crown this year.

“I unluckily finished second in the championship after crashing in the final, losing my title by four points,” he said.

Collins, who has represented speedway clubs Birmingham Brummies, Belle Vue Aces, Workington Comets, Glasgow Tigers, Edinburgh Monarchs and Buxton Hitmen since first starting racing as a 15-year-old, plans next year to race again in the FIM Flat Track World Cup and the British Flat Track Championship, representing Honda.