No Ken ’til…Houston!
RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/Suzuki Factory Racing’s Ken Roczen ia being forced to take miss the next three rounds of the 2015 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series while recovers from an ankle injury he sustained three rounds ago in Atlanta.
Roczen re-aggravated the left ankle injury at the Daytona Supercross and did not start the night program. The 20-year-old German rider was diagnosed with a partial ligament tear, a high ankle sprain and a deep bone bruise. After meeting with doctors earlier this week and consulting with RCH team owners Carey Hart and Ricky Carmichael, Roczen has chosen to heed the group’s collective recommendation that he take some time off to allow the injury to heal completely.
The decision devastates Roczen’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross title hopes, which were especiallu high after he won two of the first three main events to start 2015. Even after suffering the ankle injury that has hampered his performances ever since, Roczen came into Daytona third in the series point standings, but he fell to fourth after not being able to compete.
“It’s a tough decision, but we can’t afford not to take this seriously,” Roczen said. “I had it looked at again this week, and we all decided that the only way my ankle is going to heal properly is if I take some time off. There’s a weekend off in between St. Louis and Houston, so this will actually give me a month to recover. I’m really bummed because Daytona was the first race I missed in a long time. It’ll be tough to be on the sidelines but, if I continue to ride and keep aggravating my ankle, it’s not going to get any better. Unfortunately, it is what it is. For the next three races, I’ll be resting and cheering for Broc [Tickle, Roczen’s teammate].”
RCH team co-owner Ricky Carmichael knows how it feels to be sidelined while the series continues without him. Carmichael faced a similar choice to Roczen’s when he chose to sit out the 2004 Supercross season to have surgery on his knee.
“It’s a tough situation for Ken but we’re all behind him 100 percent and know that he’s making the right decision,” Carmichael said. “It’s really been a snowball-type of effect since he fell the first time at Atlanta. Ever since then, he’s aggravated it a little bit more every week and that’s how we ended up where we are today. When you’re an athlete and a true competitor, it’s really hard to shut it down in the middle of a season to take the time your body needs to heal. That’s not how an athlete is programmed. In 2004 I had to sit out the entire Supercross season to fix my knee and let it heal. It’s a hard choice. We’re all in his corner.”
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series returns to Indianapolis this weekend round 11 of the series, which marks its seventh visit to Lucas Oil Stadium. Prior to 2009, supercross events were held at the RCA Dome 17 times, making the Circle City a traditional stop. The race will be televised live on Fox Sports 2 Saturday, March 14 beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 4 p.m. Pacific.
Your Privacy Choices