Ben Spies Update: Out For The Year
Cycle News Staff | October 25, 2012
Ben Spies‘ miserable 2012 season and his Yamaha career came to a fitting close on Tuesday when he underwent shoulder surgery in Northern California to repair the right shoulder he injured in his crash in the Malaysian Grand Prix on October 21.
The surgery was performed to repair torn ligaments in his shoulder with doctors reconstructing his Coracoclavicular ligaments while also fixing his separated Acrimioclavicular joint. Doctors used a Twin Tightrope device, which is a suture-based system, according to Yamaha. Cadavar tissue was used to replace and reinforce the Coracoclavicular ligaments that were torn.
Doctors deemed the surgery a success but the Texan will be in a sling for 10-12 weeks, thereby ending his season. It also means that Spies won’t be able to test the Ducati in the Valencia tests scheduled for the days after the Grand Prix in Spain.
Yamaha will announce a replacement rider for Spies for the final round in Valencia after this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.
