MotoGP racer Valentino Rossi breaks right leg during training, has surgery

Nine-time world champion motorcycle racer Valentino Rossi on Friday successfully underwent surgery to repair displaced fractures of the tibia and fibula of his right leg after suffering an accident during enduro training, race organisers and his team said.

The 38-year-old rider met with an accident near his hometown of Tavullia in Italy on Thursday and was taken to a hospital in Urbino from where, after an initial diagnosis, he was transported to a medical centre in Ancona to undergo emergency surgery between 2 a.m. - 3 a.m. on Friday morning, reports Efe.

"The surgery went well. This morning, when I woke up, I felt already good," Rossi said in a statement on his Movistar Yamaha team's website.

"I'm very sorry for the incident. Now I want to be back on my bike as soon as possible," Rossi said.

MotoGP said in a statement that the surgery had fixed his fractures using a metal pin and a locked intramedullary nail in a trouble-free early morning operation.

The Italian rider, who has won the MotoGP world championship seven times as well as one each in the 250cc and 125cc categories, is currently fourth in the standings with six races to go this season.

Last time he suffered a major injury, Rossi took 41 days to get back on his bike.

Should the same recovery times be required this year, Rossi would miss at least two MotoGP races: the San Marino Grand Prix and MotorLand Aragon, to be held later this month.

However, there is a chance he might not be fit for the Japanese Grand Prix, which is set to start on October 13.

--IANS

tri/dg