Grasstrack
Cossar bounces back in fine style

Buy photos » Mark Cossar and Carl Blythe tasted victory at the weekend. (s)

JUST one month after suffering a near fatal crash, Rugby's Mark Cossar made a triumphant return to racing with a shock victory in the first round of the Grasstrack Buildbase Championships in Worcester.

The 26-year-old reigning champion, who still has a broken cartilage in his left knee, stunned his rivals with an unbeaten display together with partner Carl Blythe.

Cossar had great difficulty just getting on to his bike and was only able to complete after switching the gear-change to his handlebars as it would have been far too painful to have used his damaged left leg.

"I didn’t feel too bad when I got warmed up and was able to stretch out,” said Cossar, whose life was saved by a neck brace in March when he crashed and was knocked unconscious at a warm-up meeting near Newmarket.

"I will probably need keyhole surgery but that will have to wait until the end of the season in October,” he added.

Cossar’s injured knee will be put to a very stern test on Sunday when he rides at Frittenden, Kent, in the 2012 British Masters where all of the top crews will be in action, keen to get a taste of the track before the sport’s biggest event in August.

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