Nicky Hayden's winter vacation took a turn for the worst this week when he crashed while riding near his home in Owensboro, Kentucky. Hayden was training at a private indoor flat track facility when he crashed, breaking his left scapula and fracturing two ribs.
Hayden, broke his scaphoid during the Valencia GP on November 6th, was back on the bike for the first time during the off-season.
"Obviously, injuries are never good but it's part of motorcycle racing," Hayden said. "Just like at Valencia, it was kind of a freak accident. I was starting to train again, like I normally do during the winter, at a private track near my house. I came up behind another rider, and he went to move out of the way. I wasn't going that fast, but he clipped my front wheel and I went down and landed pretty hard on my left shoulder, and that was it. It's disappointing, but there's nothing to do about it but heal quickly. Anyway, this doesn't change my expectations for 2012 which, fortunately, is just around the corner."
After the accident Hayden underwent an X-ray and a CAT scan. The MotoGP rider underwent an MRI later in the week. There are no plans for surgery at the moment but the scapula injury will be reassessed next week.
Hayden's progress will be closely monitored but the Ducati rider is planning on riding during the first winter test of 2012 on January 31st.
