Andrea Dovizioso hospitalised after injuring himself in MX accident

Andrea Dovizioso’s preparations for the 2020 MotoGP World Championship season have taken a serious blow after a crash while racing in a motocross event left him with an injured collarbone.

The Italian, runner-up to Marc Marquez for the past three season, was competing in an event in Faenza, Italy when he landed badly off a jump and came down heavily.

Taken to the local hospital in Forli, Dovizioso was transferred on to a facility in Modena where he underwent surgery straight away on the collarbone.

The Italian is well known for taking to the MX track as part of his training for MotoGP, though history has proven that it can also heighten the risk of injuring oneself, as Maverick Vinales discovered as recently as March when he took was hospitalised after a crash.

"The surgery went well, and I want to thank all the medical team that did the operation so quickly," the Italian said. "I don't feel much pain, and that makes me very optimistic. I came home this morning, and during the afternoon, I will plan my rehabilitation. I am confident that in these weeks I will be able to recover and that I will be in full shape in time for the first 2020 GP in Jerez."

Indeed, the injury comes at a potentially disastrous time for Dovizioso with only three weeks to go until the start of the 2020 season in Jerez. Though collarbone injuries don’t always stop a rider from getting back out on track with relatively little recuperation, this of course varies depending on the ailment. 

Moreover, with MotoGP set to take in a number of back-to-back events in order to get the much delayed season underway again quickly, it just adds to the challenge of getting back to full fitness with such a minimal turnaround between races.

UPDATE #AD04: @andreadovizioso went under successful surgery to the left collarbone at Policlinico di Modena yesterday evening. He will start rehabilitation immidiately and take part in the 2020 @motogp season opener at @circuitodejerez on 19th July 2020 #GetWellSoonDovi pic.twitter.com/NkNr35mDnO

— Ducati Corse (@ducaticorse) June 29, 2020