• Tools:
• Save |
• Print |
• E-mail |
• Most Popular |

Champ Hayden set for U.S. surgery

Adjust font size:

LONDON, England -- Newly-crowned MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden will miss the final race of the year and return to the United States for possible surgery to his right shoulder.

The MotoGP Web site said the Kentucky rider had aggravated a shoulder injury at the penultimate round of the season in Portugal in a collision with Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa.

Hayden, 25, had kept quiet about it so as not to give Italian title rival Valentino Rossi, who went into the last race in Valencia with an eight-point lead, any more of a psychological advantage.

Rossi crashed in the Spanish race, ending years of domination of the top category and handing Hayden his first championship.

"No date has yet been set for possible surgery, which may entail the removal of a metal plate previously inserted in his shoulder," the Web site said.

The final test of the year is in Jerez, in southern Spain, next week.

Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.

---

• Knox prosecutor: It's not over till it's over
• UK Met Office to publish climate data
• Ronaldo the hero for Real despite sending-off
• Is Paris Hilton plotting a comeback?
• Khan destroys Salita in battle of faiths

• Irish PM to quit over payments scandal
• NATO chief: Afghan troop increase likely
• Militants hunted as calm retuns to Basra
• Pressure on Bush to skip Olympics
• BA sending misplaced T5 baggage to Milan

• Recruiting suicide bombers (2:50)
• London was lucky (2:36)
• Cars in London rigged as bombs (3:48)
• Second explosives-packed car foun (2:32)
• Soviet culture returns (3:47)