Tom Vialle will not compete in Sunday’s races at the German Grand Prix after being forced to retire during Saturday’s MXGP qualifying race in Teutschenthal.
The French rider is still dealing with the physical aftermath of the crash he suffered last weekend in Lacapelle-Marival. Although he did everything he could to compete and was present on the starting grid, the pain ultimately proved too intense.
I»t’s been a tough week, trying to get ready for this race and although I felt good enough off the bike, I was in too much pain when riding on this track. I did everything I could to line-up but already in timed practice I wasn’t right and it didn’t get any better in qualification. Now the goal is to recover as best as I can so that I can line-up in Latvia in a weeks’ time.«
Vialle had already struggled during timed practice, where he finished in a modest 18th place, and the situation did not improve in the race. After completing one lap of the qualifying round, the Frenchman chose to withdraw and prioritize his recovery ahead of the upcoming rounds of the championship.
Vialle’s absence from the points-scoring races could have significant consequences for the overall standings. The Frenchman currently sits in fifth place in the championship with 219 points, just one more than Maxime Renaux, so it is very likely that he will drop at least one position by the end of the weekend in Teutschenthal.
