Story highlights
American Nicky Hayden is doubtful for MotoGP testing in Malaysia at the end of January
Hayden broke his left shoulder blade and suffered two fractured ribs in a training crash
30-year-old Ducati rider Hayden won the MotoGP world championship in 2006
Former world champion Nicky Hayden could miss MotoGP testing in Sepang, Malaysia, at the end of next month after suffering a heavy crash in training.
The 30-year-old Ducati rider – winner of the world championship in 2006 – suffered a broken left shoulder blade and two fractured ribs in the incident at a private track near his home in Kentucky,.
Winter testing begins on January 31, although Hayden, who had only just returned to riding after crashing heavily during the Valencia Grand Prix in November, released a statement saying he hoped to be fit in time.
2012 MotoGP season brought forward
“Obviously,injuries are never good, but it is part of motorcycle racing,” said Hayden.
“Just like at Valencia, it was kind of a freak accident. I was starting to train again, like I normally do during the winter, at a private track near my house.
“I came up behind another rider, and he went to move out of the way. I wasn’t going that fast, but he clipped my front wheel and I went down and landed pretty hard on my left shoulder, and that was it.”
Hayden continued: “It’s disappointing, but there’s nothing to do about it but heal quickly. Anyway, this doesn’t change my expectations for 2012 which, fortunately, is just around the corner.”
The first race of the new season will take place at the desert circuit of Losail in Qatar on April 8.
