MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa breaks collarbone – KTM early 2019 tests won’t happen now

Red Bull KTM test rider will undergo stem cell surgery after a double stress fracture of the right collarbone.

OH NO! Dani Pedrosa has kicked off his 2019 with a painful trip to the hospital. The Spanish rider will face in the coming months healing from a complex double stress fracture of the right collarbone.

Te three-time World Champion has broken the collarbone many times before, leaving him with a lack of structural strength in the bone. Basically, the collarbone is weakened and prone to break – as has now happened without any crash or fall from a bike. The bone was broken by what a press release from KTM said was a ‘gesture of strength’. Huh? So not a fall then.

Pedrosa said: “Unexpectedly I had a double stress fracture in the right collarbone, just in a gesture of strength. Over the years I have had several fractures in that area and the last time was in three parts, leaving it sclerotic. The middle part does not have enough blood flow, creating osteoporosis, so it requires an effective solution to regenerate the bone and achieve adequate recovery. After undergoing several tests and medical consultations, the clear recommendation is the total recovery and bone health”.

Unfortunately, this entire clinical process takes time and will prevent Pedrosa from continuing with the test program initially planned for the beginning of the year as a test rider for the KTM team.