BY MICHAEL SCOTT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE
S
ix times this year, Jorge
Lorenzo has set his
Movistar Yamaha onto
autopilot. The software is
simple: for two or three laps—
"Get Away"; then default to
"Maintain Gap." Riding as if on
rails, one consistent lap after
another – over 23 of them –
he was again unbeatable at
the scenically beautiful and
technically challenging 3.15-
mile Motorland Aragon circuit.
Briefly...
Mid-season training injuries are a fre-
quent occupational hazard, and veter-
an Nicky Hayden was one rider who
arrived hurt at Aragon. He had a frac-
ture in his right thumb—a painful and
potentially troublesome injury for the
most overworked appendage on a rid-
er's body. This was the result of a typi-
cal incident: a fall while minimoto train-
ing between races. The 2006 champ
shrugged it off, saying after qualifying
16th, mere hundredths away from top
Open Aspar Honda teammate Eugene
Laverty "The thumb doesn't help, but I
can ride," said Hayden.
The other in the premier class was
Andrea Iannone, and the Ducati
rider had a bizarre explanation for his
dislocated left shoulder—a return of
an injury earlier in the season. He too
had been training, but was on foot,
and hadn't even fallen over. He was
running on the road with his trainer
when he tripped, "and when I put my
arms in front really fast, the shoulder
go out," he said. "I didn't touch the
VOL. 52 ISSUE 39 SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 P97
continued on next page
THE SHARK
BITES BACK
Jorge Lorenzo strikes with
precision at Aragon to gain
back valuable points in the
title fight against teammate
Valentino Rossi
