PIRATES trump card Nicolai Klindt admits he is nervous at the prospect of riding with a serious knee injury – but insists he is desperate to get back on a bike.

The heavy-scoring reserve has undergone intense physiotherapy since sustaining major ligament damage in a crash at Latvian track Daugavpils at the start of this month.

Klindt, who delayed an operation because the recovery time would have left him out of pocket, has inked in Monday's high-stakes meeting with Belle Vue as the date of his return.

That would make the Dane's lay-off just 22 days and he concedes he is worried about returning so soon. With racing commitments in Sweden on Tuesday, Denmark on Wednesday and Poland on Friday and Sunday, his busy schedule has done little to keep at bay his fitness concerns.

Klindt told the Daily Echo: "The plan is to ride on Monday. I will be nervous before the first race but, hopefully, I can get out of the gate and go.

"I am concerned about next week as I would rather have been riding on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday so I had a day to recover between meetings but it is what it is.

"I just have to take it as it comes. It's only one minute at a time and, hopefully, I won't have to do too many heats in one meeting.

"I have a week's break after that so I will be able to get physio then."

Klindt is due to step up his bid to return with a practice session at Danish club Esbjerg, where he holds the role of captain.

The 28-year-old has reduced the swelling on his right knee by wearing a compression boot several times a day but tomorrow's practice will be a true test of his fitness.

He said: "I will know more after I've ridden at Esbjerg. I've just got to stay on the bike.

"I can practise for four hours there so I will get in a few laps and then test it. I'm bringing my physio and he will tape it up properly.

"It will be good to get on a bike but because I've had three weeks off, I'm going to be a bit rusty. My movement in my leg and knee is much better and I'm sort of walking on it but I don't want to put too much weight on it.

"This time, I don't think it will be a problem."

Meanwhile, Klindt's Poole team-mate Hans Andersen managed seven points while racing for his Swedish club on Tuesday.

The former Swindon man's five-ride effort was in vain as Lejonen were condemned to a 48-42 defeat by Piraterna at Axelent Arena.

Andersen is carrying a rib injury which he sustained riding for Polish club Lodz at Tarnow on Sunday, but it did not stop him from scoring a full 12-point maximum for Pirates against Leicester on Wednesday.