Parkes Will Miss Opening WSBK Race Due to Broken Tibia

With only a few weeks before the official start of the motorcycle racing season, most riders seem to be having a hard time keeping themselves healthy enough for the opening rounds of the 2010 competition year. After the news about Jorge Lorenzo's injury in the MotoGP a few days ago, the news now emerged that one Superbike contender will also stay on the sidelines for a few weeks due to a leg injury.

We're talking about Australian rider Broc Parkes, whose newly-signed team Echo CRS Honda will have to find a replacement for his very home race at Phillip Island, scheduled to get under way two weekends from now.

Parkes picked the injury while training for his World Superbike campaign this season, and the doctors' verdict was grave enough: tibia rupture that will keep the rider out of action for at least 6 weeks.

While bad news for him (obviously), the injury couldn't have come at a worst time for his team also, as team manager Sandro Di Stefano is left without a rider with less than 2 weeks before the official start of the season. Echo CRS Honda is debuting in the WSBK this year, moving from the World Supersport Series.

“I wish Broc all the best for an early recovery; we are waiting anxiously for his return. Now he has to concentrate on getting back into the best condition as soon as possible. This is a false start for us and it complicates our debut. Superbike is a difficult category, where every minor detail must be taken care of. Things like this confirm how much the human factor is one of the elements that can occasionally slip out of control," said Di Stefano.