Bayliss fights to be fit for Valencia

Despite Troy Bayliss’ sickening injuries sustained in his Donington crash, current series leader James Toseland has warned not to write off the tough Australian.

Bayliss crashed out of the lead in the opening race at Donington two weeks ago and after getting tangled up with his Xerox Ducati lost part of his little finger and sustained groin injuries.

After surgery in the UK at the Derby Royal Infirmary, Bayliss flew home to Monte Carlo where he visited his own doctor last Friday for a further check up and get his amputated finger redressed.

Bayliss will undergo examination by Superbike doctors at Valencia on Thursday but is expected to be declared fit to race.

Toseland said: “Bayliss will be a bit of an unknown quantity this weekend but you can never write him off even if he has got half his little finger missing and a groin injury.”

“It’s not only him I’ve got to worry about, the Yamaha boys of Haga and Corser are going well and the R1 is clearly working better and the team are constantly developing the bike.

“Biaggi will also be a big threat and the local boys Nieto and Xaus could also spring a few surprises.

“The thing about Valencia is that it’s the kind of track where if you get a good setting early on you really can dominate the race and we’ve seen that over the last couple of years with Corser and Bayliss.

“It will be the first time we’ve run the Honda electronics at Valencia but I’m pretty confident that we should be able to get the bike dialled in quickly.”