Assen continues to be John Hopkins bête noire.
During free practice on his second appearance with Stiggy Honda’s CBR1000RR at Assen, the American rider suffered a massive highside that caused the practice to be red flagged while Hopkins was taken to the hospital.
Diagnosed with a dislocated hip and torn ligaments and muscles around his femur, Hopkins will miss his second race.
In 2008, with Kawasaki, always at Assen, Hopkins crashed into the barrier breaking his left ankle and tibia.
“It looks like I am continuing my bad luck here in Assen two years in a row, I didn’t even get five laps under my belt this time.
I had a huge high-side and landed feet first, which dislocated my hip and cracked the top of my femur.
For about three hours, until they placed me in the operating room and put my hip back into place, I was in the most excruciating pain I have ever been in my life.
”“I was really motivated to race here this weekend and initially I felt really good from the moment I jumped on the bike, but this is just bad luck.
Now I will just have to recuperate.
I will fly home tomorrow night and will have surgery Monday morning if necessary.
The biggest problem will be the muscles.
All the ligaments and muscles around the femur are torn, which is a lot worse then actual broken bones.
If there was no muscle damage, I would be back racing in two weeks, now we will have to wait for the proper evaluation.
”