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Alessandro Botturi: “back on track at Merzouga Rally”

The Dakar Rally 2016 seems an old memory but not for Alessandro Botturi, the official Yamaha rider who is still recovering from the crash he had in the second stage of the Dakar where he broke the ligaments and some small bones of his right wrist. Despite the pain, the Italian continued his race till he was obliged to withdraw due to a problem of his Yamaha in the dunes of Fiamabala.

Back in Italy, Botturi underwent a surgery on February 5th, his wrist was immobilized and he is now following a tight program of physiotherapy to recover completely. Just in these days he also started training with the bicycle.

First of all, how are you?
“I’m following all the indications from the doctor. After 40 days of cast, i started the physiotherapy to recover the mobility of the wrist. Now I’m only at 50 % of mobility. I can cope with the pain, but I’m not used to stay away from my bike. This is the first serious injury in my career. After the crash I continued my race so the injury got worst and back to Italy I had to undergo a surgery that lasted 2 hours and a half.”

When will you be back racing?
“If everything goes well, I should be back training with the bike at the end of April, beginning May. If it is possible I would like to take part to a round of the Italian Motorally in Aquila as training for the Merzouga Rally, which is my first appointment of the season. Let’s see how things go, I also would like to test a couple of days in Morocco before the Merzouga”.

Last year you won the Merzouga Rally, what are your expectations for the 2016 edition?
“The Merzouga Rally will be the first race after the recovery from the injury so I cannot aim at getting a top result. It will be important to regain the rhythm. Anyway it’s an important appointment because there are many big names at the start and I’m sure the race will be really interesting”.

Which are your other appointments?
“The plan is to race the Sardinia, Transanatolia and Oillybia in preparation of the Dakar Rally 2017, together with some round of the Italian Motorally”.

What can you tell us about your bike?
“Yamaha did another step forward and Helder Rodrigues will test this updated version already at Abu Dhabi. In Qatar there will be Helder and Adrien Van Beveren, who will start his full season of rally raid from Qatar. It’s a pity not to compete in Abu Dhabi. I would have loved to start the preparation from the very first race that sees Yamaha lined up”.

And what about the team?
“Yamaha is also working to improve the whole structure and I know that there will be a new team manager who will follow us in the sports preparation and for the road book. I really look forward to be back on board of my Yamaha and start the preparation for the Dakar 2017”.