Biaggi Wrist Break Hits Title Chances

Added on Tuesday, March 4th, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments

Biaggi will be in cast for three weeks but should return for Valencia

I braked very hard and the rear of the bike whipped sideways and threw me off the side of the bike

Max Biaggi’s title prospects suffered a major blow after sustaining a broken wrist in a 170mph crash at Phillip Island.

Biaggi crashed twice in the second round of the World Superbikes in Australia, the second of which resulted in a broken wrist for the Italian and a massive dent in his title prospects.

Biaggi was expected to be the main challenger to Bayliss but pushed too hard at MG corner when he lost the front in race one and then again at turn one in race two at over 170mph.

After arriving at Phillip Island just two points behind Troy Bayliss in the riders championship, the Ducati rider’s zero-points allowed Bayliss to open up a 52-point margin on his home circuit.

It capped a nightmare week for the Italian, after a broken gearlever in qualifying meant that he had to start both races from 16th on thegrid.

Biaggi said: “The problem with starting from 16th on the grid was that I had to overtake riders continuously and push so hard. In the first race I just lost the front at MG corner. In the second one I braked very hard and the rear of the bike whipped sideways and threw me off the side of the bike.”

The Sterilgarda Ducati rider was treated at the track by medics where he was found to have a broken left wrist.

He is expected to be in cast for 21 days but is expected to be fit for the Valencia race at the beginning of April.

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