Repsol Honda’s Marc MarquezMarc Marquez #93 MotoGP News / Injury ReportOne of the most popular training methods for World Championship racers is off-road motorcycling. But many of the most disciplined riders, including nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi, have suffered major injuries while training in the dirt.
And on Wednesday, the dirt claimed another – Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez. The reigning MotoGP Champion broke his right fibula while dirt-track training in Lleida, just west of Barcelona.Marquez, who became the youngest rider to take a MotoGP Championship at 20-years old, was transported to Universitario Quirón Dexeus Hospital. While there, Dr. Xavier Mir treated the spiral fracture of the distal third of his right fibula.After carrying out a CT scan and X-ray, Dr. Mir confirmed “the results showed no ligament damage or dislocation and no need to proceed with surgery. I expect he will need 3-4 weeks to fully recover.”Marquez immediately began rehabilitation with magnetic therapy, and must remain off the leg for two weeks. Due to this, he will miss next week’s Sepang MotoGP test, and possibly the subsequent test at Phillip Island.Doctors expect Marquez to be fully recovered for the opening round of 2014 MotoGP at Qatar March 23.“It was a really unfortunate accident that could happen to anyone at anytime. I was rushed to hospital and Dr. Mir treated me, thankfully there was no ligament damage and it seems like a clean break,” Marquez says.Marquez was quickest during the first official 2014 MotoGP preseason test held at Jerez, the Spaniard breaking the outright track record.
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This week, in the first segment Editor Don Williams talks to us about the new Kawasaki Versys 650 LT. It’s the middleweight ADV style machine that uses the same 650 parallel twin motor as the Ninja 650, so it’s an excellent performer in a user-friendly, good looking package.
In the second segment, I chat with one of my dearest industry friends—now retired Honda PR executive, Jon Seidel. Jon’s fascinating career spans some 30 years with Big Red, and gave him some great experiences with some incredible machines. I was fortunate enough to be invited on many of the press launches that he organized. His new project is documenting and saving many of the old archives from years gone by—and incidentally, if you have anything that may be of value to the project, please contact us by email at producer@ultimatemotorcycling.com and we’ll pass it all on to Jon.
So on that note, from all of us here at Ultimate Motorcycling, we hope you enjoy this episode!
