Dutch MotoGP: Toni Elias undergoes surgery on broken left leg

Spaniard Toni Elias has undergone surgery on the broken left femur he suffered at the Assen circuit in Holland this morning.

The Gresini Honda rider broke the femur when he lost the front end of his RC212V at the Ramshoek corner in this morning’s opening free practice session.

He has undergone surgery at the Wilhelmina Hospital in Assen but there are conflicting reports at this stage about the length of Elias’s rehabilitation.

Some sources claim an injury similar to the one Elias has suffered has a recovery period of between seven and 11 months. That would mean Elias missing the remainder of the 2007 MotoGP world championship campaign and in the worst case scenario possible the start of the 2008 season.

Other reports suggested Elias could be fit to return to action in the Misano GP in September, which is the view of MotoGP medic Claudio Costa A team spokesman said: “It is too early to say when Toni will be back. It is a bad break. But it is a twisted fracture but the initial diagnosis is a recovery time of three months.”

Elias said: “I knew I’d broken my leg straight away. I tried to put it back in position even though the pain was tremendous. Hopefully I can recover quickly and be back on track soon.”