Christophe Pourcel will miss the final three rounds of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna announced today.
The announcement comes more than a week after a big crash at Round 9 of the championship at Washougal. Pourcel was visibly shaken up after the crash and in a post-race team press release said, “It surprised me. I got scared for a moment because I couldn’t really move. I was pretty beat up for the second moto and wasn’t really sure if I was going to be able to race.”
According to the team, although Pourcel was able to race the second moto, finishing sixth, he was experiencing stiffness in his neck. Three different specialists recently saw Pourcel and it has been determined that he sustained a non-displaced fracture of the vertebral facet in the C-6 vertebrae. The injury will not require surgery, but Pourcel will be unable to ride for the next six to eight weeks while the fracture heals.
This is the second neck injury Pourcel has sustained in 2016. Earlier this year he missed three rounds of Monster Energy Supercross after sustaining a fracture of his C3 vertebrae in a practice crash.
The team also announced today that Jason Anderson, who has been out since High Point after sustaining a broken collarbone and minor AC separation in a practice crash, is expected to return to racing at Round 11 of the championship at Budds Creek on August 20.
[Update]
Pourcel issued a comment on his Instagram page about the injury. You can read it below.
Words can't describe how sad I am about this injury. 2nd vertebrae in 5 months, both times when I felt that I was riding well... Fortunately the fracture (arterial facet C6) is not worse and that I didn't harm it in the second moto at washougal. That crash happened because of a mistake that I would not normally make, I never scrub crazy or ride over my abilities, it was just a small mistake that has put me out for the rest of the season. I want to thank all the people, companies, and fans that have supported me through my first full year back to racing in the US. I am focused now on my recovery and returning to racing as soon as it is safe.
