Cal Crutchlow braced for tough Argentina after double surgery

Cal Crutchlow has undergone double surgery to his right hand and arm after his heavy crash during last weekend’s Circuit of the Americas MotoGP round in Texas.

The British rider underwent a double procedure in San Diego on Wednesday after the learning the right little finger he dislocated at COTA was also broken. He has a pin inserted in the digit to stabilise it.

The former World Supersport champion also had surgery to his right forearm to reduce swelling and fluid retention that he has flared up again in 2014.

He initially suffered fluid retention in the arm as a result of one of three big crashes he suffered during last August’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Speaking exclusively to MCN while he recuperates in California ahead of next weekend’s inaugural race at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina, the Ducati rider said: “I had an operation in San Diego because the finger was still dislocated and it has a break in it. I had some pain in the finger but there was a splint on it, so that’s why I didn’t know it was still dislocated. The guys at COTA did a great job getting me fixed up and the finger could have come back out after they’d put it back in. It just delayed my recovery a couple of days and while I was there I got rid of the fluid in my right arm and hopefully that has finally been sorted. I haven’t been getting pain from that but my arm has just been getting bigger and bigger and I needed to work out while the fluid wasn’t dispersing. It seems there was a cyst in there and while it should be fine we will see in the next races.”

Crutchlow suffered such severe swelling to his right hand in the COTA fall that he initially thought he’d broken all of his knuckles and fingers.

His right hand remains severely swollen and he is icing it constantly and keeping it upright to try and reduce the swelling.

The 28-year-old is confident he will be able to ride in Argentina next weekend and he added: “My little finger doesn’t really do much on the bike. It is my other fingers I’m a bit worried about. I still can’t see my knuckles at the moment because of the swelling and my hand is completely black. But I will be there giving it my all as always.”