Miller breaks leg in training, will miss Japan MotoGP

Another MotoGP rider has fallen victim to a training accident. Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS MotoGP announced that its rider Jack Miller will miss the upcoming Japanese GP after breaking his leg on Friday.

The Australian was training on a trials bike near his European base in Andorra and fractured the top of the tibia when he put his right foot down to save a slow speed front-end crash. He traveled to the Hospital Universitari Dexeus in Barcelona, where he underwent surgery on Saturday morning. A plate and eight screws were inserted to stabilize the fracture.

Miller already has some mobility in the injured leg, but will head back to Andorra today to start an intense program of physiotherapy designed to get him back on the bike for the Australian Grand Prix, which takes place at Phillip Island in just over two weeks' time.

"Obviously I'm both disappointed and frustrated to have to sit out the Japanese Grand Prix through an injury sustained while training, especially as it wasn't even a crash!" said Miller. "We were out trials riding and I put a foot down when I lost traction from the front tire. Nine times out of 10 that would have been the end of the story, especially at such a low speed, but this time I must have caught my foot on something and ended up fracturing my right tibia close to the knee. The injury has been stabilized with a plate and screws and I already have some movement, but it's clear that I won't be fit for Motegi. However, I am determined to be back on the bike at Phillip Island and that's what I'll be working towards now with the physiotherapist."

Team principal Michael Bartholemy added: "Jack was extremely unfortunate to end up with a fractured tibia from such a seemingly innocuous incident; it was just bad luck. The timing is also unfortunate, as we're about to head overseas for three races in as many weekends, but Jack is adamant that he will miss only next weekend's Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

"His aim is to be back on the bike for his home race at Phillip Island and the prognosis is good. He will work now with a physiotherapist to increase mobility in the injury and, together with his doctors, we will make a decision on whether he is fit to ride in Phillip Island immediately after the Japanese Grand Prix."

Miller's accident follows a similar injury suffered during training by Yamaha's Valentino Rossi, who missed the MotoGP race at Misano with a broken leg before returning for the most recent round at Aragon.