Frenchman Christophe Pourcel remains hospitalised in Belfast after his heavy crash during warm-up for the Grand Prix of Northern Ireland last Sunday.
The 2006 MX2 World Champion had been transferred from Antrim to Belfast, where he underwent further tests with a well known specialist to learn more about his injury.
The exams revealed that he has broken his sacrum, the last bone of the spinal column; it is an ‰Û÷open book‰Ûª fracture and the doctors are still waiting to decide if he will need surgical reconstruction before rehabilitation. His French doctor Olivier Dufour is in permanent contact with the Irish staff, and apparently Christophe will be soon transferred back home to France.
Several French riders, including Nicolas Aubin and Pierre Alexandre Renet visited Pourcel in the hospital before leaving Ireland. Both confirmed that Christophe is in good spirits and is accompanied by his father Roger. ‰Û÷Of course it‰Ûªs painful and difficult for him to wait for hours but he is strong mentally‰Ûª explained Aubin. ‰Û÷He confirmed to us that he was afraid just after the crash as he didn‰Ûªt have any feeling in his legs for a few seconds; many nerves cross the sacral, and some have been affected by the crash. Christophe still has some tingling in his lower body, a result of the broken bone. Concerning his dislocated shoulder the news is better; even if the ligaments have been damaged from the crash.‰Ûª
More news about his expected recovery time will be known later but Pourcel will be out for at least two months, missing the Motocross of Nations and the Paris Bercy Supercross. His omission for the MXON team comes as a double blow with the French team with American based David Vuillemin also ruled out after crashing heavily at the last round of the AMA Motocross Nationals, Nicolas Aubin was called into replace Vuillemin. Pierre-Alexandre Renet will replce Pourcel.
