Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Bruce Transportation Group Honda’s Alex Gobert, injured in a motocross crash Wednesday, is returning to Australia Thursday night in order to have surgery performed on his broken right foot.

“It’s a bit worse than we thought,” said 18-year-old Gobert Thursday. “The doctor today said I needed to get two or three screws put in it and have it in a proper cast for four weeks. After that I need to have it in a soft cast for another four weeks, but I’m hoping it will go a bit quicker.”

After hearing the pessimistic prognosis, Gobert decided to return to Australia and have the Gobert’s family orthopedist, the same doctor who has been working with Aaron Gobert, provide a second opinion and perform the surgery.

Before catching his 10:30 p.m. (Pacific Time) flight to Australia, Alex Gobert said that he hoped to return to race in the AMA finale at Virginia International Raceway in August.