Australia’s Mark Aitchison has confirmed that he suffered a fractured ankle in his mammoth crash during race one of World Superbikes at Magny-Cours on Sunday.

Aitchison was catapulted from his Pedercini Kawasaki in spectacular fashion during the opening race, the beginning of a troublesome race day in France.

“Well what can I say about the day in Magny Cours? In the first race, just after the start, I had a monumental slide from the rear tyre and it launched me from the bike,” Atcho explained. “I really had no warning from the tyre which made me crash quite heavily.

“It really felt like all the wind had been knocked out of me and after we found a small fracture in my ankle, from some X-ray. My tailbone was also in quite a lot of pain.”

Aitchison returned for race two despite the pain of his race one crash, but was ultimately forced out with a mechanical problem.

“After resting for some time I decided to try to race the second race,” he added. “I didn’t feel so well but I thought that I must try in any case. In the beginning I started well and my rhythm was coming until I had problem with the gear box.

“I lost fourth gear, then fifth gear and after the engine stopped, so I had to retire. It was a very difficult day but I know we can bounce back in Portimao.”