Ben Spies Shoulder Injury Update
Back in February during Sepang MotoGP testing, Ignite Pramac Racing Ducati’s Ben Spies suffered a crash at Turn 1.
Although a light crash, the incident upset a previous shoulder injury that the Texan was dealing with throughout the off season.
The pain in his pectorals and back muscles continued for the former Yamaha Factory Racing pilot (replaced by Valentino Rossi for 2013). The Ducati GP13 rider struggled with the issue at the season opener in Qatar and last week at Circuit of the Americas; Spies finished 12th in both rounds.
After consulting with medical staff, Spies was advised to undergo three consecutive weeks of “intense rehab in order to alleviate the strain in his pectorals and back muscles.”
And due to this, Spies will miss Jerez MotoGP in Spain May 5, round three of 18.
Speaking of the injury, Ignite Pramac Ducati reports: “Despite the constant improvement in the condition of his shoulder after recent surgery, Ben still needs further intense work to build up his muscle, and to acquire the necessary strength which will enable him to endure the stress during the race. Therefore the therapy will be different to what he has done so far, focused on limb mobility, thanks to his better physical condition. These three weeks of therapy will allow the Texan to be back for the Le Mans race.”
Spies’ right shoulder was initially injured during the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang last season. He underwent surgery to repair an AC separation in October, 2012, but never fully healed.
Since joining MotoGP in 2010, the 2009 World Superbike Champion took one win – the 2011 Dutch TT at Assen (Yamaha).
Photo by Ara Ashjian