leg and ankle fractures after slamming feet-first into the barrier.The Hopper started the season injured after crashing at Phillip Island tests, then hurt his back again crashing at Catalunya, although he kept riding.The Assen crash was expected

SHOULD THERE be stricter medical tests for injured riders? The question buzzed around the paddock at Mugello, in the wake of wheelchair-bound Jorge Lorenzo’s fourth place at Le Mans, riding with one ankle fractured and the other with tendon damage

Ben Spies...ready for more in MotoGPBEN SPIES made a quick adaptation to riding a MotoGP bike in the rain, placing eight for a third-row start in the streaming qualifying session in his outing as substitute for the injured Loris Capirossi.The day

straight, several of whom went home with souvenirs. It took their first win in 12 races the next day to help the hapless HRC men regain some face.The way the injured Alex Hofmann was treated at Laguna Seca is a shameful stain on MotoGP, and on a US track

and remained impassive. The Spanish press took up cudgels on his behalf, berating Rossi for the insult.Rossi was quick to deny any such implication. The chair had been a joke because he was hot and tired, he said. He would never make fun of an injured rider

not such a sin. All the other riders were as well, and usually still are. Sete was more noticeable, because Sete was the one challenging him most often, twice title runner up.Sete got some lucky breaks, twice taking over factory Honda rides from injured

to the final race. The last time that happened was in 1992, when Wayne Rainey snatched the crown from an injured but bravely struggling Mick Doohan.With five races left, there were five candidates: Hayden, Pedrosa, Rossi, Melandri and Capirossi. Then Pedrosa

his role model Mick Doohan ended his career. The hitherto bullet-proof new champion injured his shoulder (although apparently without damaging the chip), and went home early.I couldn’t help noticing cheery columnist Randy Mamola remarking that it had