JEREZ, Spain - American MotoGP rider Ben Spies will miss next week's 2013 Spanish MotoGP (May 5) due to injury, according to his Pramac Ducati team.
The former World Superbike champion will be replaced by Ducati's Italian test rider Michele Pirro for the race at Jerez.
HEAVY FALL
Spies needs three consecutive weeks of intense rehabilitation to alleviate a strain in his chest and back muscles.
He injured his shoulder in a heavy fall in Malaysia last October and missed the last two races of 2012 as well as initial 2013 pre-season testing. He reported more pain in 2013’s race in Austin, Texas.
Spied said: "I had a little problem with a nerve in my chest. I don't know if it's from overcompensating for my shoulder problem. But two laps before the end of the warm-up, I had a twinge in my chest, it was like a knife."
The former World Superbike champion will be replaced by Ducati's Italian test rider Michele Pirro for the race at Jerez.
HEAVY FALL
Spies needs three consecutive weeks of intense rehabilitation to alleviate a strain in his chest and back muscles.
He injured his shoulder in a heavy fall in Malaysia last October and missed the last two races of 2012 as well as initial 2013 pre-season testing. He reported more pain in 2013’s race in Austin, Texas.
Spied said: "I had a little problem with a nerve in my chest. I don't know if it's from overcompensating for my shoulder problem. But two laps before the end of the warm-up, I had a twinge in my chest, it was like a knife."