Casey Stoner: ‘I puked during Catalunya race’

Aussie Casey Stoner has revealed the full extent of his stomach problems during the recent Catalunya MotoGP race, the 23-year admitting to MCN that he vomited twice inside his helmet on his way to a determined third place.

The factory Ducati rider denied vomiting shortly before the podium ceremony at the end of a punishing 25-lap race that was won in dramatic fashion by Italian Valentino Rossi Stoner rode to heroic third despite the debilitating affect of serious stomach cramps that hit him on race day in Montmelo.

The 2007 world champion told MCN it was an experience he didn’t want to repeat in the future as he heads into this weekend’s crunch Assen MotoGP race in Holland tied on points with Rossi and Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo. “I puked in my helmet around the track a couple of times during the last race. Behind the podium they just told me to rinse my mouth out and spit it on the floor, I didn’t want to but they were forcing me saying you need to do it. I just needed to sit down because it was just hard when I stood up.

“All the cramps in my stomach were a lot worse when I stood up. When I crouched down it was a bit better, standing up my stomach was just in a knot and I was just staying down to relax.”

Factory Ducati boss Livio Suppo hailed Stoner’s Catalunya performance a ‘miracle’ and told MCN: “I’m sure Casey’s not an actor. He was really bad and he did a great job in never giving up. That’s racing and sometimes they have to do a miracle and I think that’s what he did.”