From
TransworldMotocross.comCatching Up With...Ryan Villopoto By Donn Maeda
Posted: 10.22.2007
Team Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto suffered a broken collarbone, a punctured lung and some cracked ribs in a horrendous crash at the MX Oasis Supercross track last week, only days after returning from a 10-day vacation. The two-time MX Lites National Champ already had surgery to repair the damage and is home is Washington recuperating, and phoned the TransWorld Motocross offices to check in...
Ryan! What happened?Well it was my first day back on the bike and I went out to ride at Adam Chatfield’s place out in Beaumont. I rode about five laps and did most of the jumps and came in to adjust something real quick. The track was the same as it was last year, so I had done everything like a million times before. Anyway, when I went back out I hit the tricky triple-triple section and did it fine, but the next lap I came around and it all went wrong. They had watered before we started riding and I guess I had some mud on my boot, and the second time I hit the triple I clipped the top of the landing and my foot slipped off the peg. Anyway, the take off for the next triple is really close and I hit that jump basically with only one foot on the pegs. I G’ed out in between the jumps and I just got thrown off in the air.
Were you rolling the windows down?No, I don’t actually remember if I stayed on the bike or jumped off. Randy said I was off the bike, I think. And once I hit the ground I don’t remember anything. I don’t even remember getting back to the truck. I guess I got up and I couldn’t breathe. They were gonna just take me to Dr. Alexander, but when I started saying that I couldn’t breathe, that’s when they decided that it was time for me to take a ride in the ambulance.
And what did they discover at the hospital?I had a little hole in my lung, and some air leaked out into my chest cavity. I broke my right collarbone and two ribs, too.
Did you have to get a chest tube?No, I was good on that, thank God.
There was some speculation on some Internet message boards that your broken collarbone was caused by your Leatt Brace. What do you think?Oh, I’m pretty sure that it did, but I came down pretty much upside down, straight on my head, so who knows how badly I could have been hurt if I wasn’t wearing it? I mean, I know I would have broken the same bones even if I hadn’t been wearing it, probably more. I have no regrets and I will continue to wear a Leatt Brace.
Were you knocked out for a bit?Yeah, just for a short while, though. Mostly I was really dazed. I don’t remember much about the day. I guess I was talking kind of goofy. (Laughs)
So this time it was your right collarbone?(Laughs) Yeah, this time I broke my right collarbone and two years ago before Anaheim 1 I broke my left collarbone.
Oh man, so you have matching scars?Yeah. (Laughs) I haven’t really gotten to take a good look at my new scar because it is taped up, but I think they should be pretty close.
So the last time you broke a collarbone you had to race in three weeks. At least this time you have some time to spare…Yeah, this time I need a little longer to heal because of the lung and the ribs, but I guess if there is a good time to get hurt this is it. I have a bit of time to heal up before I have to start getting ready for next year.
Can you tell us a little about your vacation? I went to Africa for 10 days with Hilton Beattie, Jeff Fox, Bobby and Spencer. We were there for 8 or 9 days. We got to see Capetown and Johannesburg. It was a pretty good time! Did you do some hunting?
Yeah! I got about eight animals and they are getting mounted up and shipped back. It should be pretty cool; two of them are rugs.
Did you shoot an elephant?(Laughs) No, no elephants.
Were you ever scared when you were out there? No. (Laughs) I mean, there were some rhinos but they are pretty easy to deal with. You just don’t wanna get in between them. It was pretty safe because we were on a ranch.
So what will you do while you are healing?I am just in Washington hanging out. I wouldn’t normally get to visit home because testing was due to start for Supercross, but this injury will give me some time to chill out with my family and friends, which is always good.
