Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1063250
IN THE WIND P52 TOBY PRICE BREAKS SCAPHOID AHEAD OF DAKAR 2019 C urrent FIM Rally Champion Toby Price has broken his right scaphoid bone (in his wrist) in a training accident less than a month before the start of the 2019 Dakar Rally. Price, the 2016 Dakar race winner, was immediately oper- ated on by renowned MotoGP Spanish orthopedic surgeon Dr. Xavier Mir, and has since returned to his native Australia to begin his recovery. Price posted an Instagram post in which he stated, "Always gotta make it difficult, I never take the easy road!" he said. "A crash seen a small break in my wrist, all is screwed in place, rehab starts in 4 days and believe me I'll still be on that start line come January. I've beat the odds before and I'll do it again." The KTM Rally team also posted a press release on the injury, saying, "Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Toby Price Racing underwent surgery with Dr. Mir yesterday in Bar- celona for a small injury sustained in training this week. "Toby has fractured his right scaphoid and is currently traveling home to Australia to recuperate. However, the 31-year-old fully expects to be fit for the Dakar Rally in January. "We wish you a fast recovery Toby! We're wishing all the best for this Aussie legend and hoping for a speedy recovery." CN Toby Price is in a race against time to be fit for the start of the Dakar on New Year's Day. PUIG: ROSSI'S MOMENT IS OVER R epsol Honda team boss Alberto Puig has taken a swipe at Valentino Rossi in Spanish daily newspaper La Vanguardia, saying Rossi "is having a hard time accepting that his moment is over." "Valentino has been a terrific rider. He has all of my respect," Puig said to La Vanguardia. "At his age [39], he still has the desire, the talent to go fast and he doesn't accept not being able to win. But he's having a hard time accepting that his moment is over. Sometimes the methods he uses are not the right ones." The Italian legend has also engaged in a searing rivalry with current MotoGP king Marc Marquez that culminated in a tirade of abuse from Rossi at the Argentinian MotoGP round in April, where Marquez ran into the side of Rossi and put him on the floor. Puig believes Rossi himself is the one to blame for the rivalry with Marquez. "At no time have I seen Marquez out of line, doing anything ma- licious towards Rossi," Puig said. "It was always race incidents. I respect Rossi, but in life everything has its moment. And like it or not, Marc is number one [now]." CN Puig, never one to mince his words, believes Valentino Rossi can't accept he's no longer number one.