WorldSBK legend Troy Bayliss has fractured his neck in an accident on a bicycle. The Australian, always a keen cyclist, fractured his C4 vertebra when he crashed into another bicycle while out riding.
In a press release issued by Ducati, with whom Bayliss retains a close relationship, Bayliss announced he had suffered some nerve damage as well as fracturing the bone(link is external), that has left him with limited motion.
The prognosis for recovery is good, according to Bayliss and his doctors, but that puts him out of action for a long time.
We wish Bayliss a full and speedy recovery. The Ducati press release appears below:
Troy Bayliss confirms injuries after bicycle crash
Three-time World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss has confirmed that a bicycle crash last Friday, 14th May, has left him with a fractured C4 vertebra and corresponding spinal damage that will see the active 52-year-old Ducati legend on the sidelines for several months.
With Troy having no exact recollection of the incident, it appears that another bicycle was exiting between two parked cars and he has collided head first into it. Most of the impact was transferred through his head to his neck, and he lost consciousness. He was immediately treated and taken to hospital.
While the injuries are serious, Troy’s condition is stable. He returned to his Gold Coast home yesterday to begin his recovery.
Troy Bayliss:
“I’m OK and I’m home, but the crash means I won’t be riding a motorcycle until I regain full movement in my arms and hands. I really just wanted to let everyone know what’s happened, that I’m OK and that I’ll be back in leathers as soon as I can.”
“It’s been an intense weekend for me and my family, but luckily I’m OK and I will recover. My doctors have been really positive, but there’s no firm indication of how long it will be until I can regain enough control to get back on a bike – maybe a few months, maybe longer; it just depends on how the recovery goes once the bones heal up.”
Source: Ducati
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