Lowes back into battle again

Pata Yamaha WorldSBK rider Alex Lowes is still recovering from a significant shoulder injury received in the previous Jerez tests last November even though he has already been out on track on his new R1 at Portimao a few days ago.

On day one at Jerez he had a greater understanding of where he is feeling the injury while on the bike. “It is more of an issue in left hand corners,” said Lowes. “It is worse holding myself up while pushing the handlebar. Portugal was particularly bad when the bike wheelied after two or three laps, and my arm got a bit tired, so trying to hold onto the bike and hold myself forward was tough. I cannot even lift it up yet,” said Lowes, demonstrating that he could not raise his left arm up even at a right angle away from his body. “It is not right and it is as simple as that because the shoulder is a complicated thing.”

Structurally, Lowes fracture has healed up, but it is just preparation for racing that he needs to work on now. “The bone that was broken has healed, but where the shoulder dislocated, all these muscles round the back are weak. It is good that I can ride all right, to a certain level, learns some things, and then be patient as well. I have another three weeks after this test, and the shoulder is coming on quite fast, actually.”

Lowes had little time to train before he headed to first Portugal and then Spain, as he had to concentrate on allowing his body to mend, and was only recently cleared to ride at all. “Two weeks ago I would have been struggling to ride, could not do a press up. Hopefully I can get these two days out of the way, get more physio and then do final checks at the hospital. I did not do any weight training before I went to the tests because I wanted to rest it. A lot of the pain has gone and I am able to sleep and everything but it is just that riding a Superbike is a bit different from just walking around in your shoes!”