Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci Motocross Team’s Ken De Dycker will miss the thirteenth round of the FIM MX1-GP World Championship at Campo Grande in Brazil this coming weekend in order to continue rehabilitation on his damaged right shoulder.
The powerful Belgian crashed early in practice for the Grand Prix of Sweden at Uddevalla at the beginning of July and sustained a nasty cut to his right elbow as well as pain to his shoulder. While the elbow gash was able to fully heal, the 25 year old could only partially negotiate further races in Belgium and the Czech Republic with pain killers to help with the discomfort of a small bone crack and nerve problem in the shoulder joint. The ailment became infected after the meeting in Loket almost two weeks ago.
De Dycker is still able to steer his YZ450F and even attempted the fourth round of the Belgian Championship at Mol last weekend but withdrew early from the event and needs daily laser treatment and physiotherapy to fight the infection. This year’s German GP winner is under constant supervision from renowned Belgian specialist Dr Debruyne and travelling to Campo Grande and attempting the Brazilian round of the FIM series would have compromised his rehab and fight back to fitness. With the chance that his participation in subsequent Grands Prix in Holland and Italy could be jeopardised De Dycker has had to cancel his plane ticket across the Atlantic.
“I’m disappointed obviously to be missing the Brazilian grand prix because I always want to race and have been trying to do so since the crash in Sweden, but I haven’t had the strength or power in my shoulder to ride like I want,” he said. “I just want to get fit now and try to put these little problems behind me. I know that if I can get in good shape before Lierop then we can be confident of doing something good for that GP.”
De Dycker was in formidable form on the 2010 YZ450F to win both motos at the eight round of the world championship at Teutschenthal in June and is currently also holding sixth place in the MX1-GP standings despite his non-start at Sweden. With extra time to now focus on recovering from his injury De Dycker is hoping to be able to challenge for his second victory of the year (his first with Yamaha) in the sand of Lierop in two weeks where he was a masterful presence in 2009.
