Surprisingly, Francesco Bagnaia managed to avoid leg fractures despite being struck by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) following a highside crash at the start of the MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix. Luck was not the only factor that protected the championship leader from serious consequences.
Michele Zasa, the medical director of the Clinica Mobile, explained to GPOne.com that three factors played a role in the outcome: ‘One component that definitely needs to be mentioned is luck because if a bike passes over you, it depends on where it hits you. Fifty centimeters make a difference. That said, there are two other components related to the athletic aspect. These are guys who train to ride at these speeds and they can have very fast reaction times, so those who follow, who don’t want to harm those in front of them, may try to avoid when possible. Then, riders do a sport where trauma is inherent from an early age, so they learn how to fall and, when they do, they position themselves in a way that minimizes damage. Obviously, this applies when they have an escape route, less so in a dynamic like Sunday’s. We must not forget about the protections, which have improved a lot in the last ten to twenty years’.
On the other hand, the doctor emphasized that riders have good physical preparation: ‘Looking at the footage, you can see that the bike went up onto his legs, and the tibia and fibula were at risk. But they are athletes well prepared physically and have muscle tone and elasticity that certainly helps. Let’s say it was a combination of several factors that came into play, and perhaps even the good Lord saying it wasn’t the time’.