Hayden `back with the boys´ for Misano

The premier class was missing one of its big stars at Brno last time out; a former MotoGP World Champion no less. Nicky Hayden made the difficult decision to sit out the Czech Republic visit in order to let his foot injury from an ill-fated Supermoto outing heal further, absent from a MotoGP round for the first time since Portugal 2004. The American is raring to return at Misano this weekend, despite admitting to not being back to 100% just yet.

`I´m certainly excited to be getting back out there with the boys, because I hated missing Brno,´ enthuses Hayden ahead of his comeback race.

`I´ve been doing all the old `voodoo´ stuff they tell you to do: bone stimulators, lasers, ultrasound, all that stuff, I´m doing everything possible to get back. I had hoped my progress would be quicker. I still need crutches at this stage, but unless something goes south I definitely plan on trying to ride.´

Hayden was advised by Dr. Artur Ting and his surgical team that participation in the Czech Republic would not be to his benefit, and `The Kentucky Kid´ has been consulting them in the run-up to Misano in order to best aid a smooth return to racing.

`I´ve been seeing doctors, and I´m going to get something moulded to wear in my boot. I´ve been doing some training in the pool and a few things at the gym, nothing too crazy. Misano is almost a Laguna without the hills, it´s a tight little scrappy track where you need a bike you can be aggressive with. I enjoyed it last year but I'd just as soon they flipped it back around and go the old direction for those big lefts that used to go on to the back straightaway, I remember seeing the old 500s guys riding those on TV.´

Hayden finished thirteenth at Misano last year, having qualified third on the grid. Friday´s first practice session will be the first time that both he and Repsol Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa have been on track together since the opening day practice run at Laguna Seca, over a month ago.