Disappointment for Albion riders in Belgium.

Round nine of the World 125cc Motocross Championship got off to a bad start for Team Albion KTM UK after young Matt Winstanley twisted his ankle early on Saturday morning ruling himself out of the Belgium Grand Prix.

The Genk circuit had been waterlogged overnight after heavy rain which left some jump faces and several corners treacherous for the unsuspecting.

The flying Finn Antti Kallonen was the team's only race finisher as Stephen Sword fell two times and was forced to retire with a damaged race machine.

Sword looked comfortable during Saturday's qualification race, he sped into the first turn side by side with Dutch sand specialist Marc De Reuver, he finished second to the lanky Yamaha rider. Antti finished 6th in his race to ensure both KTM riders a ride in Sunday's GP.

Conditions were much improved for Sunday's race, the sand circuit dried out to give big braking bumps but the faces of the jumps were still soft and were soon deeply rutted.

As the 125cc GP got underway Sword made a good start and was right with the leading group as they hit the first turn, Sword said later: "I got around the first turn in 6th position but I hit the back wheel of Dupasquier and slid off right in the middle of the pack. I was dead last when I picked up the bike and it was up hill from then on. I got my head down and fought my way through to 17th, I had good speed, I felt happy and relaxed on the bike but as I came out of a rough corner I got cross rutted, hit a few bumps wrong and the bike spat me off."

The track was very bumpy and many riders struggled with the condition in the previous 250 and 500cc races.

"The track was very bumpy, so it wasn't a real high speed crash I landed heavily but the bike took the worse of it, the sub frame was twisted, the handlebars were bent right down so I couldn't have continued anyway," said Stephen who was lucky to escape with a slightly twisted knee and being momentarily being winded. "It was a disappointing weekend, after starting well, I rode a little tight but relaxed and was enjoying myself until it all ended abruptly," he added.

Antti Kallonen made a poor start but had to come a long way from the far side of the start gate, "I know my weak points are my starts and I have been working on them but I had a long way to go from my side of the start gate, then I had to slow to avoid a fallen rider," said Antti after battling for 15th position and six points. "I was caught up in a lot of traffic, early in the race and it was impossible to break away, I thought I had broken away but then one or two small mistakes saw me back in 15th were I had started. It was a hard ride," admitted Antti.

Matt Winstanley was unable to compete in Saturday's Qualification Races after twisting his left ankle in early morning free practice.

"The mud was quite deep and I just put my foot down and tweaked it, it was painful, it hasn't swollen up but I still I can't put any weight on it," said Matt who travelled back to Lancashire to have a medical examination.

Team manager Sean Osmond said after the race: "A disappointing weekend for the team as a whole here in Belgium, Antti put in the only race finish of our three riders, finishing in the points. A twisted ankle ruled out Matt early on Saturday morning and then Stephen crashed out of the Grand Prix after charging hard after an earlier mistake and fall at the first turn."

"Antti started and finished in 15th position, he moved up to 13th at one stage but had a mid pack race on a very demanding circuit. He did well to finish, many riders retired on a circuit that was taxing and tricky, if he had taken a better start things might have been different but he was caught up in too much traffic to make any real progress."