Quick chat with Rick Elzinga!
Rick Elzinga's 2018 season has more ups and downs than Six Flags Holland's Goliath roller coaster. The MJC Yamaha rider started with a podium in Italy, then broke both wrists and came back strongly in the EMX125 round of France, the French championship and at the Zwarte Cross where he won the 125cc. Then bad luck struck again with a back injury…
It was exciting last Friday at the Elzinga home! Rick had to take new photos and then appear at the doctor for the results. The situation and extent of the injury was initially quite unclear. “First I was told that I had broken my vertebra. So I literally lay in bed for a week and did nothing. It was just a question of whether I needed surgery or not and whether the back was stable. If that wasn't the case, I would immediately have to wear a corset." Rick explains.
Fortunately, the doctor had good news. Despite the injury, the vertebra was stable. There were also no loose pieces noticed that gave Rick the green light to get back on the bike. This way the junior World Cup in Australia still remains in the picture. “From Monday I was told that I could drive again. So it went very quickly in one go. Today Wednesday I tried to drive again and the driving wasn't bad. I didn't have any pain in my vertebra, but it seemed like my muscles went completely into lockout or tensed up when I drove over a road and got hit on my back. That also made me tired very quickly. Because breathing is not yet proceeding as it should normally.”
To participate in the EMX125 round of Lommel, Elzinga still has a lot of money to spare. After all, participating just to be there is of little use. Finishing fifteenth means nothing, while even far from his top form he already finished third a round during his EMX125 return in Saint-Jean d'Angely. “I'm going to see if my muscles are looser tomorrow so that I can breathe again. So I don't know yet whether I will go to Lommel. I have nothing to lose or gain.”
Because injuries threw a spanner in the works, Rick missed out on every final ranking. The fact that he can now drive again is a big boost. Especially compared to the first messages that first came back from the hospital. “After what happened this season, I don't really see it as a season anymore. I have to forget all the goals for a ranking now. Now it's just about doing a good race every time, so to speak.” In any case, we wish him a nice ending.
Photos: Niek Photography, Yamaha Racing
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