Picture Exclusive: Bayliss injured

This is the moment Aussie Troy Bayliss saw his hopes of retaining the World Superbike title suffer a crushing blow at last weekend’s Donington Park clash.

Moments after he crashed at the Coppice corner while leading race one, Bayliss stares in agony at the seriously injured little finger on his right hand in this exclusive shot snapped by MCN reader Neil Ripley.

The 38-year-old factory Ducati rider was forced to miss race two while he underwent surgery at the Derby Royal Infirmary. It was confirmed Bayliss needed part of the finger amputated.

With no points scored at Donington, Bayliss trails British rider James Toseland by 51-points.

The blow to Bayliss’s aspirations of winning a third WSB crown were softened somewhat with Toseland’s second race mechanical failure on his Ten Kate Honda FireBlade.

But Bayliss is facing a race against time to be fit for round four in Valencia on April 14, 2007.

He will be desperate to ride at a race track where he has enjoyed phenomenal success, including a stunning MotoGP victory in 2006 as a wild card for the Marlboro Ducati squad.

See the full Bayliss story and eight-page Donington WSB special in tomorrow’s MCN, out to buy on Wednesday, April 4, 2007.