Steven Frossard is now convalescing and thinking of a thorough rehabilitation and recovery programme after an operation to successfully rebuild his right anterior cruciate ligament and remove part of a cracked meniscus earlier this week.
The Monster Energy Yamaha racer underwent a successful procedure on his right leg on Tuesday and has now left the hospital in Lyon, France.
The factory YZ450FM rider will now enter a rehab centre for three weeks (spending weekends at home) where the results of the surgery and subsequent progress will be carefully monitored. It is expected that the French ace will be able to start tentative exercise and cycling in just over a month and a full recovery is expected by November.
The positive news comes on the eve of the Grand Prix of Belgium at Bastogne for the eighth round of sixteen in the FIM Motocross World Championship. A meeting at which Frossard's team-mate, Christophe Charlier will unfortunately be unable to complete. The MX2-GP pilot was forced to the sidelines for last week's Portuguese event after dislocating his right shoulder in France and although he attempted a wet practice Saturday morning at Bastogne the joint was still not strong enough.
Monster Energy Yamaha could enjoy more reinforcements in the coming weeks. Alongside Charlier and Arnaud Tonus Americans Zach Osborne and Michael Leib could be in line for competition by the end of the month and round nine at Uddevalla in Sweden on July 1st, giving Yamaha four representatives in the class.
Leib has been recovering after the sapping effects of Epstein Barr virus but will have had almost a month of rest by the time of the Scandinavian trip. Osborne has been making steady progress since his pre-season collarbone break. The former British Champion has been riding now for almost two weeks and an appearance in Sweden is not unrealistic but if the time frame is too tight then '338' will almost certainly make his 2012 Grand Prix bow in Latvia on July 15th.
"I feel good on the bike," he said. "I feel as if I never stopped riding. I'm sure in a race situation it would be different but I have a good start and am getting better and better."
