Professionals earn pockets full of cheese usually because they do whatever it is they do better, faster, stronger than anyone else. Sometimes, though, they get the big bucks because they'll do something again after having nearly killed themselves the first time. That is: they'll get right back on the horse when a lot of non-professionals would instead grab a gin and tonic and watch reruns of I Love Lucy.
Jorge Lorenzo earned his money and a stay in hospital over the weekend during practice for the MotoGP China Grand Prix. On one run the bike bucked under him coming out of a turn, sending the 21-year-old rider up out of his seat like he was riding a bronco, but he managed to keep the bike upright and moving. On a following run he wasn't so fortunate, highsiding, somersaulting, and suffering a fractured left ankle, a painful right ankle, a cut heel, a knee abrasion, and forearm compression.
But here's where Lorenzo really impresses: he still got on the bike to qualify on Saturday, and came in fourth in Sunday's race. Follow the jump to check out the videos of the bucking incident and the highside. And from now on, the word you're looking for to describe Jorge Lorenzo: pro.
[Source: Axis of Oversteer]
James Garner recovering from mild stroke
VIDEO: God's ringtone is a V10-powered Audi R8
IIHS releases official results on the smart fortwo
Tragedy at LeMons: Send love and a little bit more
Officially Official: New Ferrari California exposed!
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang
Future Classic: 1984 Chrysler Minivans
Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy
First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen
Project Track Slut, Part One: Pick a weapon on the cheap
_thumbnail.jpg "Lamborghini Reventon unboxed in Las Vegas")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2004m3driver @ May 5th 2008 2:07PM
I love the picture.
Toy Yoda @ May 5th 2008 2:08PM
Pro is right, but I think I can use some other words that are more of a fit.
Franz @ May 5th 2008 2:10PM
Damn... he's lucky it's just his ankle. I can't believe he still raced after that... and finished fourth no less. Impressive performance. Great control in the first vid, btw.
Montezuma @ May 6th 2008 1:32AM
He's one of my favourites, someone you can count on not to disappoint. And, that's what separates greatness from mediocrity - greatest riders never stop to push over the limit and are not afraid of consequences, they never quit. Mediocre riders play it safe. Guess which ones goes into history books.
zoom_x2 @ May 5th 2008 2:12PM
Now that's a spill - I'm looking at you Schumi.
Seriously though, what a man's man.
Brett- BMW Advo @ May 5th 2008 2:18PM
or quit before you land on your head... ouch!
Andy @ May 5th 2008 2:21PM
Makes the F1 car guys look a bit wimpy, no?
pmiddle5 @ May 5th 2008 4:28PM
I'd consider the g's they go through in a crash to be quite worse for the body even though they recently seem to be piloted by immortals.
Are these two crashes on the same turn??
balogna @ May 5th 2008 2:28PM
You guys got the chronology wrong. The highside that broke Lorenzo's ankle happened during practice on Friday. The tank slapper which nearly threw him off the bike a second time happened during qualifying on Saturday.
So I don't know about "quit while your ahead" but Lorenzo put in a superhuman effort to finish the race, and in a very strong 4th no less...
Seoultrain @ May 5th 2008 2:40PM
I wish I could see that awesome save in real-time. I hate it when slow motion replay takes over everything that happened in the past. Half of what's amazing in sports is how fast things happen and the quick reactions of the athletes. Why does almost nothing get shown at actual speed? Do they just assume that you caught everything at its natural speed the first time? I have a DVR, but that doesn't work on the internet.
EuropaCar @ May 5th 2008 2:42PM
wow losing control in a bike like that looks so scary
Greg @ May 5th 2008 2:55PM
Thanks for the spoiler warning for those of us who haven't seen the race yet. This happened on Friday and it took until Monday to post? For any other reason than you wanted to include Lorenzo's finish position in the post? Autoblog does fine at warnings for mid level car racing, but can't be bothered to remember for MotoGP?
L.Wood @ May 5th 2008 3:02PM
Every time I get the uncontrollable urge to buy a motorcycle it is good to have reality rear its ugly head with a picture like this one. It reminds me why driving a car has some advantages in the event bad things happen. I love watching motorcycle racing because these guys are the greatest racers around when it comes to guts and total disregard for the consequences of screwing up.
Brad @ May 5th 2008 6:36PM
Yep. I got thrown off of a dirt bike at age 16 and I swore that I would never get back on a motorcycle again. Nearly 30 years later I've kept that promise.
But these guys take some hellacious spills and are truly fearless.
Franz @ May 5th 2008 6:54PM
I haven't taken a spill, but I've come close, and seen plenty in my time... I remember my uncle coming to visit once with hardly any skin left on his entire left side! I've also had a few friends die in motorcycle accidents. I still ride every now and then, but nothing over 600cc... the temptation to go fast is too great. Plus a 600cc bike is plenty fast, and just as easy to get killed on if you do something stupid, or have a bit of bad luck at speed.
For pure thrills, nothing beats my quad though... I haven't had a spill on that either, but dislocated my shoulder once: It was flipping over in a hard turn and I jumped off, but didn't let go of the handle bars quick enough. It darn near ripped my arm off. That said, I think it's safer. No traffic, and dirt is a lot more forgiving whenever you get an "oh sh*t" moment. :)
SPF @ May 5th 2008 3:06PM
Wow. How the eff did he save that? That is awesome. You da man, Lorenzo.
Torrent @ May 5th 2008 3:16PM
holy crap.
Johnny @ May 5th 2008 3:47PM
something doesnt seem right in that pic... when did ppl start riding upsidedown?
RL @ May 5th 2008 4:26PM
Ouch
Cole Mitguard @ May 5th 2008 8:06PM
This is bad ass... I ride a bike, and if I were to get in another accident, and could have a picture like that of it, and walk away with only a few flesh wounds... I would think it was the coolest thing ever. But I guess thats what separates people who ride and people who don't... we are all a little crazy. Cruising speed is >100 hahaha.