Still unsigned for next year, with Ducati negotiations apparently stalled over money, Andrea Dovizioso broke his collarbone racing a motocross event over the weekend. He immediately underwent surgery, which has been declared successful and has put him on track to participate in the 2020 MotoGP opening round at Jerez on July 19.
Here is the press release from Ducati:
The Ducati Team rider [Dovizioso] was operated yesterday evening a few hours after getting injured. Since the operation had a positive outcome, he will be able to start physiotherapy immediately to be ready in time for the first 2020 MotoGP race, scheduled for the upcoming 19th July at Jerez de la Frontera.
Andrea Dovizioso underwent surgery at Policlinico di Modena yesterday evening after sustaining a left collarbone injury yesterday afternoon during a motocross race at Monte Coralli race track, in Faenza province.
The Ducati Team rider, following consultation with Professor Giuseppe Porcellini, decided to undergo immediate surgery to fix a plate on the injured collarbone to speed up his recuperation in time for the first 2020 MotoGP race in Jerez.
The operation took place yesterday evening with a positive outcome, and Dovizioso has been discharged this morning and will be able to start physiotherapy rehabilitation already this afternoon. The rider from Forlì will, therefore, participate in the next Spanish GP scheduled for the upcoming 19th July, and has declared to be confident to be able to arrive at the first meeting in Jerez in the best possible conditions.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team, #04)
“The surgery went well, and I want to thank all the medical team that did the operation so quickly. I don’t feel much pain, and that makes me very optimistic. I came home this morning, and during the afternoon, I will plan my rehabilitation. I am confident that in these weeks I will be able to recover and that I will be in full shape in time for the first 2020 GP in Jerez.”
Prof. Giuseppe Porcellini (Policlinico di Modena)
“Andrea Dovizioso underwent surgery to correct a displaced fracture of the sternal margin of the clavicle. We proceeded with the internal fixation of a plate with six screws with anatomic reduction and, from a mechanical point of view, we are delighted with the outcome of the operation. Apart from me, the medical team was composed by Prof. Fabio Catani, who personally supervised the operation, Prof. Luigi Tarallo and Doctor Andrea Giorgini. I want to thank the Direction of the Policlinico di Modena that made the operating room available in three hours, and all the staff who made possible to perform the surgery quickly”.
Paolo Ciabatti (Ducati Corse Sports Director)
“Although we know that motocross is an activity that presents several risks, we had still allowed Andrea to participate in this regional race, because he had explained to us that he needed to rediscover those stimuli and sensations that only a real competition can give. On the other hand, motocross is also the discipline with which many of the MotoGP riders train regularly. So, in the end, we must be relieved that the injury did not have serious consequences and that Andrea will be able to be regularly at the start of the 2020 championship in Jerez”.
To Dovi, this is a terrible split. To him, it didn’t feel like a lot of a year. IMHO’s best wishes are behind him for wins and any future championships.
If Ducati signs him once again or not makes no difference to me. It’d be cool to see Lorenzo again on a Ducati, but that’s not a major thing for me.
Motorcycle Weekly
Must be on vacation.
I posted to this thread last week, of course it went into moderation even though I have never said anything out of line here, and it still hasn’t shown up 3 or 4 days later.
It’s a bad break for Dovi. It wasn’t looking like much of a year for him anyway. IMHO, his best hopes for victories and any possible championships are behind him.
No difference to me if Ducati signs him again or not. It would be cool to see Lorenzo on a Ducati again, but that is no big deal to me, either.
Politics and personalities aside, the racing has been great for the last few years, even if the eventual winner of the championship has seemed to be a foregone conclusion. The bikes are fast, the riders are talented, and the show is fun to watch.
Dovi is a heck of a racer. Spent the last 6 years developing the Ducati into a competitive machine. Now that the bike is competitive, he’s nearing the end of his career and it is doubtful he will ever be a World Champion in the premier class. He’s had the same problem Pedrosa had in his career…always up against an alien like Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo or Marquez. It’s got to be hard knowing you tried your best but will never accomplish your lifetime goal.
Very well put fred. And that last paragraph sums up the way I feel too.
Fair points but we’re still talking about the guy who finished 2nd in the championship and tied for 2nd most wins on the year (two..). You’re probably right, Fred. As my father told me about boxers and age, the slope of decline is far steeper than the slope of growth. One day they have it, the next day, they can’t see the punches coming.
Why would anybody with a motoGP capability decide to motocross and risk the GP ride. Poor decision. I can understand a trail ride or english trials but motocross means fall down go BOOM .
All the top racers say that MX is the best training and worth the risk.
“surgery to fix a plate, on this collarbone”, you mean he had broken it before and they left the plate in? I was told not to ever do that, because if you broke it again, the break would be far worse than before. You are supposed to go in after the bone is healed, and take the plate out. maybe some collarbone expert will chime in here and give us the scoop… (me with 3 broken collarbones, clavicles, complete seperations)
. One of the doctors worded it slightly differently, “We proceeded with the internal fixation of a plate with six screws…“. I think by “fix a plate” they mean that they’ve installed it, not repaired an existing plate. Translation from Italian was probably not completely clear.
Fix means to fasten in place, not to repair, in this context. Few Europeans would ever use the word “fix” to describe a repair. Think afix.
Dovi is having a bummer year..Covid confinement, Ducati wants to give him a 75% pay cut, and now a broken collarbone less than 3 weeks before the opening race of the season. I hope he has been saving his lire.