MotoGP – QP1 Assen, difficult start for Marco Melandri

The return to the saddle after the operation on his right arm last Wednesday was not the easiest for Marco Melandri. First of all, due to the weather conditions, which were really bad, with rain and gusts of very strong winds, and then due to a crash in the morning's free practice. Marco fell after five laps and, despite going very slowly, hit his left shoulder hard. His free practice ended there, but in the afternoon Marco tenaciously returned to the track, setting the sixteenth fastest time. But morale, however, is not the best.
'This morning I set off calmly, thinking about my arm, but, unfortunately, the bike was unrideable. I did two very slow laps risking falling five or six times, because the bike wasn't straight even on a straight line. I returned to the pits, but once back on the track the situation hadn't improved at all and despite going 20 seconds slower than I should have, at a tourist pace, I flew into the air. The sensation was very bad, I was really scared: I was nauseous and dizzy, I feared I had dislocated my shoulder. Fortunately this wasn't the case, but given the terrible weather conditions I also thought about not doing the afternoon tests. But not getting back on the bike after a fall like that would have been psychologically terrible and so in the official races I wanted to try at all costs. The situation improved compared to the morning, the bike was a little easier to ride and my shoulder didn't hurt as much. My forearm didn't bother me either, but now, I feel some pain in my shoulder. In similar conditions this track is quite dangerous, because you never stay straight but you still have to keep the throttle open. I'm a bit demoralized, we really didn't need this fall.'

MarcoMelandri.it