ROUND 5/MAY 26, 2013
DONINGTON PARK/EAST MIDLANDS, ENGLAND
WORLD SUPERBIKE
P94
WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
Sykes celebrates
becoming the
first Brit to win
at Donington
Park since Carl
Fogarty in 1995.
Haslam Opts Out
Do you think that you have been
trying so hard to ride at this event that
Leon Haslam rode all the way up
you have brought your recovery two
to morning warm-up at Donington
weeks further forward than you would
despite his still injured left leg, but
have?
despite his bravery, and in an act of
That is the only thing I can look back
pure common sense, his team pulled
on – I could not have done any more in
him from riding. He spoke just after
regards to getting it ready for this weekthe news broke on Sunday morning.
end. I tried to stay off the painkillers until
How has it been on the bike?
this morning. They anaesthetized the
On race day, because I pushed it a
bottom part of the leg, but it just pushed
bit harder, the top of the bars is catchthe pain back to the knee joint. The top
ing on my knee and it has inflamed
of the bars is chafing on the kneecap and
it again, so I am not riding. It is good
the top of the femur. Basically they are
to get another two weeks' rest. I was
saying that the pain is shifting and they
probably being a bit stubborn wanting
could anaesthetize the knee for the race,
to ride, but another two weeks should
which is what they were going to do, but
Leon Haslam opted
be better for me. Realistically, the pace
I still do not have any power in it and any
out of racing at
I had was only good for a top 10 anyway,
bend. The lap time is around a second off
Donington Park.
but being Donington I wanted to be at
of what I know I am capable of doing on
the front. Everybody has been working
this bike so result wise it was not going to
hard for me so it is frustrating to not be racing on a
be the best. Fatigue-wise it was always going to drop
sunny day at Donington. I feel like I can ride the bike,
way before half race distance. The most laps I have
but it is just a few things that are restricting me. Race
done was nine this morning and the pain was getting
distance is one thing I need to sort out, and I need to
more and more. It was not the pain so much that was
be able to put pressure through my left leg to give my
stopping me it was more the fatigue in the rest of my
body, because I could not use my legs."
upper body a rest.
