Roberto Rolfo suffers injury blow

Experienced Italian Roberto Rolfo’s Moto2 preparations suffered a blow in Catalunya yesterday when he dislocated his left shoulder after a heavy testing crash.

The former MotoGP, 250GP and World Superbike rider crashed on just his fourth lap of the second day when he hit a damp patch on his Italtrans STR machine.

Rolfo, who has won three 250GP races and was runner-up in the 2003 world championship, could be sidelined for at least three weeks.

The injury means he is almost certain to miss the first official Moto2 test in Valencia on March 1 when the new Honda CBR600RR spec engine arrives.

Rolfo had been quickest on a weather-hit first day and despite completing only a handful of laps before his crash, he still managed to finish seventh quickest on day two with a best lap of 1.50.0.