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/879212
IN THE WIND P36 ROSSI BREAKS A LEG, THEN A RECORD! R ossi's trip from the operating table to the front row of the starting grid in just 23 days sets a new record for recovery time from a double leg fracture. The same rider set a record in 2010, coming back within just over 40 days after a single break, after snapping his right tibia at Mugello. That, however, was a compound fracture. This year's break was both tibia and fibula, but less serious and more readily repaired without compli- cation. Rossi revealed that it was only last week that he thought he might be able to race at Aragon, having at first planned to return for Motegi in three weeks. Rossi's 2010 record was swiftly broken later that same year by tough Frenchman Randy de Puniet, who broke both tibia and fibula at the German GP, but returned at Brno just 26 days later. Rossi had now taken four days off that record, start- ing practice 22 days after the fracture, and 21 days after the surgery, which was performed in the small hours of the next morning. On Monday of race week, Rossi said, "I did some laps on the R1 at Misano, and I under- stood that I can ride, but with a lot of pain." But with intensive physio- therapy, the injury improved day by day, and was continuing to do so, while the M1 MotoGP Ya- maha was more comfortable "for my size" than the R1 road bike. "At the beginning, we made the seat higher and the footpegs lower, but from today [Sunday] I used the normal position." He had taken a single pain- killer, he said, "because it is difficult to put on my boot," and experienced some pain and awkwardness while riding. "On the bike, I feel some pain, but not too much, so I can concen- trate on riding." Rossi qualified on the front row, and finished a close fifth. Michael Scott ROBERTS GOES FULL TIME IN MOTO2 A merican Joe Roberts, who claimed a top 10 finish in his first Moto2 outing at Brno earlier this sea- son, will be back full time in Moto2 next year, along- side South African Steven Odendaal on the new NTS chassis. Roberts got a four-race sojourn in Moto2 this year, substituting for Yonny Hernandez in the AGR team, after the Columbian rider was dropped. The Japanese bike and pair of riders will run in the RW Racing team. NTS will make it six chassis constructors in the class, alongside Kalex, Suter, KTM, Speed Up and Tech3. The NTS made a 24th-place grand prix debut at Aragon, ridden by wildcard Odendaal, who won the 2016 CEV title on a Kalex and is currently third overall, with two races to go, on the NTS. Also in Moto2 next year, Fabio Quartararo has confirmed he will move to the Speed Up team, where he will join former Moto3 champion Danny Kent. Michael Scott America has a new full-time Grand Prix rider now in the form of Californian Joe Roberts.