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/311007
IN THE WIND P22 NO VILLOPOTO FOR OUTDOORS R yan Villopoto will not return to defend his 450-class number-one plate in the 2014 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. According to a release issued by his Mon- ster Energy Kawasaki team, "Ryan Villopoto will be unable to defend his 2013 Pro Motocross Champi- onship title after opting to get knee surgery to fix a lingering injury." The release went on to say that Villopoto has been bat- tling a knee issue through- out the 2014 Monster Energy Supercross Series. Despite the injury, Villopoto wrapped up a fourth straight Supercross Champi- onship in Las Vegas, May 3. Apparently Villopoto and his medical team decided it would be best for him to undergo surgery on the knee as soon as possible so he can be 100-percent healthy for the start of the 2015 Supercross season. "This is definitely not the news I wanted to hear from the doctors," said Villopoto in the release. "We have worked hard to be in position to win championships for Monster Energy Kawasaki and to not be able to race this summer is very disap- pointing. Going from a really great feeling after win- ning a fourth straight Supercross title, to knowing I am going to spend the summer rehabbing a knee injury is devastating." Kawasaki's Senior Manager of Racing Reid Nor- din, said, "…we are listening to his medical team to make sure he gets his knee fixed properly and he can compete for championships in 2015." Villopoto is expected to go under the knife on Tuesday, May 13 and, according to the Monster Energy Kawasaki Team manager Dan Fahie, Villo- poto hopes to make his return at the Monster En- ergy Cup in October. Kit Palmer Knee surgery will keep defending 450 Champion Ryan Villopoto from competing in the upcoming outdoor Nationals. PANIGALE ON THE RISE W ith the two top Ducatis in the top four after Superpole in the World Superbike round at Imola, things had obviously taken an upswing in Borgo Panigale. There was, however, a degree of disparity between how much power some people have said the 2014 Ducati factory 1199R is producing now and how much it made last year. In any case, there have been real improvements according to Ducati's technical guru, Ernesto Marinelli. He says seven or eight horsepower, but others think it's more. "We were able to do a couple of steps on the engine, which we were able to take directly at Phillip Island, so the spec of the engine has been the same for a few races now," Marinelli said. "We are expecting to have at least a couple of steps more to introduce later in the season, because they are still on the final stage of development and dura- bility. Again we have a bit more power compared to last year even if we have a reduction in the engines in terms of numbers. That is also a positive thing. We have the same piston as last year continued on page 24