Image: Supplied.

Now confirmed to have sustained a broken femur at the MXGP of Sweden, Team France has named Jordi Tixier (KTM) to replace Romain Febvre (Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing) at the 2019 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN).

The former world champion led the first 13-laps before high-siding over a single-jump after changing his line to pass a lapped rider, crashing heavily on his left thigh before being immediately taken to the trackside medical centre for observation.

The doctors and paramedics onsite confirmed that his left Femur was broken and transferred him to Trollhattan hospital, where he underwent an operation on Monday afternoon to have a rod surgically inserted, ruling him out of the next two MXGPs and the MXoN.

The injury marks a bitter end to Febvre’s tenure with Yamaha, the manufacturer confirming earlier this month that he’ll depart the squad at the end of this season, while he’s been tipped to join Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing next year.

Drafted in for the Assen event, 2014 MX2 world champion Tixier – who was part of France’s 2018 MXoN winning squad – will join Gautier Paulin (Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha) and Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in The Netherlands.