The Dani Pedrosa story just won’t go away. After revealing yesterday that he had been seen ten pin bowling and with his arm out of a sling only days after his operation, his media people then reported that he’d miss Silverstone due to slow recovery from his operation which he then did. However, at the same time it was reported that his “slow recovery” was due to the fact that he had re-injured his shoulder in a “domestic” accident or even in a training incident while riding a supermotard bike. Next came the suggestion that Dani might miss the rest of the season in order to fully recuperate and allow his (supposedly) weak bones time to strengthen. All of these rumours have been vigorously denied by Pedrosa’s management and by HRC.
The last of these suggestions is probably right out on the end of the conspiracy theory spectrum, although with Stoner and Dovi flying the flag so well, Honda isn’t really missing Pedrobot too much.
Now, this morning, comes news that Dani has undergone yet more surgery to the injured shoulder.
“The Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa underwent further surgery this evening to his broken right collarbone caused in the accident in Grand Prix of France. The operation was conducted at the USP Institut Universitari Dexeus by Dr. Xavier Mir, Chief of the Pathology Unit of the Hand of Dexeus USP, and Dr. Cesar Garcia Madrid, vascular specialist of the Institute Planell at Teknon Medical Center,” the statement read.
“The aim of the operation was to fix, by compression osteosynthesis, a small fragment of bone that had dislodged during the rehabilitation process. This technique allows a faster consolidation, minimizing the resting time.”
Dr Javier Mir declared the operation a success.
“We believe the surgery was successful as we were able to fix the fragment of bone of his collarbone in a very stable way and because of this we are confident that in 48 hours it will be possible to begin rehabilitation of his right shoulder,” Dr Mir said.”
source, news.com.au
Again, you may read into this what you will, but, in any event, for a piece of bone to dislodge all by itself from an area operated on recently by top-flight surgeons does seem a little suspicious.
A while ago I published a story on Ron Thorp’s AC Cobra, a legendary race car of my youth and one with which I had a fairly close association. The car now resides in the collection of the Bowden family at Buderim in Qld where it is taken out and dusted off for a little run from time to time. Unlike many owners who think that restoring a car until it is better than it was when it left the factory (90% of Pebble Beach entrants), the Bowdens believe in sensitive preservation of their collection and so the Cobra remains un-repainted and substantially in as-raced condition despite the passage of years.
Here’s a few shots of the old girl that certainly brought a smile to my dial, I hope they do to yours too.
289ci Ford V8 with 4x58mm downdraught Weber carbs.
Finally, LCR have favoured us with another Honda special. A CBR1000RR tarted up with bits raided from the HRC parts bin. Probably unobtainable to us mere mortals, but a nice toy anyway.