Sepang MotoGP: Injury agony for frustrated Ben Spies

The high-speed crash that ruled Ben Spies out of last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island continued to be a major source of pain for the American on the first day of practice in Malaysia today.

The factory Yamaha rider finished in a lowly ninth place after two gruelling 45-minute sessions, the injuries picked up in his Phillip Island crash six days ago leaving him over two seconds off the pace.

Spies withdrew from the Australian round with concussion after he crashed at close to 170mph at Phillip Island’s flat-out Turn 3 last Saturday.

But it is a rib injury that is proving the most painful obstacle in Malaysia.

The 2009 World Superbike champion said: “It’s really frustrating because I can’t ride like normal. I’ve ridden hundreds of laps around this track and I know all the brake markers and lines and I can’t brake where I usually brake. I can’t do a lot of normal things and I can’t hold myself up and move round on the bike like I need to.  It is really frustrating and I’m doing the best I can, but when you know that the bike and set-up is capable of a whole lot more it flat out pisses you off.”

Explaining why he was suffering so much, Spies added: “I have some soft tissue damage from my upper two ribs that connect to the sternum and some soft tissue damage in my lower back.  When I brake it feels like I have a knife stuck in my chest. It will take two to four weeks to heal and I can’t sleep right now. It’s not a big injury but just a nagging thing that if I wasn’t riding a motorcycle it wouldn’t be that big of a deal.”

Spies said there was no doubt that he would start Sunday’s 20-lap race as he battles to protect fifth place in the world championship standings.

Spies is currently 17-points ahead of Italian duo Marco Simoncelli and Valentino Rossi and he said: “My main goal now is to try and keep fifth place in the championship but I have no great intentions this weekend for the way I felt on the bike today. All I can do is try and be consistent and put together a decent race.”