Huddersfield racer Tom Sykes hampered by hand injury

HUDDERSFIELD World Superbikes racer Tom Sykes has suffered a pre-season setback while testing out in Australia.

Official testing for the 2013 WSB campaign starts on Monday at the Phillip Island circuit, ahead of the season’s opening meeting at the track in the state of Victoria on Sunday, February 24.

However, in the Kawasaki Racing Team’s private test runs yesterday, Sykes and his teammate Loris Baz both had their first test sessions in Australia cut short after crashes – with the Huddersfield rider injuring his left hand in his tumble.

The 27-year-old, who was beaten by half a point in last season’s championship by Italian Max Biaggi, underwent a medical examination right away and fortunately he will be ready to take to the track next week for the official pre-race tests.

Sykes fell and injured his hand after less than 10 laps of the Phillip Island circuit, which has recently been resurfaced.

And Baz was posting fast times on his first outing on the track, but pushed a little too hard and had a high speed fall and it was decided to rest him to be ready for next week’s tests after he suffered pain in his back.

Sykes was still in buoyant mood despite the bad luck suffered Down Under, having the bonus of a very strong campaign of European-based winter testing, and he said: “I hurt my left hand in a crash after less than 10 laps of the circuit, so we decided to rest up afterwards and so I can be ready for the official tests in the next few days.

“I do not do much crashing, but I got caught out and these things happen in racing.

“Now we just have to react in the best way to be ready for the next test and then the race.

“There is no point pushing it because my first flying lap at Phillip Island was nearly into the 1 minute 34 seconds, so I have confidence with my feeling on the bike.

“We have a test on Monday and again on Tuesday, and between Kawasaki and the boys in the team, plus all our technical sponsors, we have made massive progress over the winter, so the bike is ready to go.

“All we missed out on so far are a few extra laps.”