Aoyama cleared for MotoGP return

From motogp.com

Hiroshi Aoyama’s nine-week injury lay-off will come to an end at Indianapolis this weekend as the Japanese rider climbs back on board his Interwetten Honda RC212V machine, his first competitive ride since June 20.

After a lengthy rehabilitation process to recover from the fractured vertebra he sustained at Silverstone in Round 5, the 2009 250cc World Champion tested his comfort on the bike at the Brno test last week.

Sufficiently pleased with how the day at the Czech track went Aoyama was then given the okay by his medical team on Monday to ride at Indianapolis.

"I am so happy that I am finally coming back,” said Aoyama. “I had another X-Ray and the doctor confirmed that my broken vertebra looks good and did not change its shape, which is essential at this stage of the injury. I got the okay to ride in Indianapolis and I can't wait to get back on my bike.

“Of course I want to be fast but first I have to gain my confidence and feeling with the bike once more, then I can concentrate on being fast. It will not be easy to ride with the group again after such a long time away, but step by step I will get there as I regain the strength I had at the start of the season.

"I missed six races, which is a lot, and I have to see how I can cope with the situation after such a long time and how I can cope with the pain level.”