Motorcycling: Stoner vexed by back pain

Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner of Australia gestures inside his garage during a MotoGP pre-season testing at the Sepang circuit outside Kuala Lumpur yesterday

Reigning MotoGP champion Casey Stoner described his recurring problem with back pain as “frustrating” yesterday but expressed confidence it would not hamper his world title defence this season.
Numbed by painkillers, the Australian Honda rider bounced back to post the fastest time on the second day of MotoGP testing at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit, a day after being sidelined by back pain.
Stoner has been bothered by pain stemming from a 2003 crash and hurt himself Tuesday while stretching his back before the first day of testing, keeping him off the track.
“There is nothing we have been able to do to stop it from happening,” he told reporters.
“It just happens. So it is frustrating ... I can’t do anything about it at the moment,” he said.
Stoner said the pain mostly does not affect his riding but admitted that he took to the track yesterday after taking pain pills.
“It is just aspirins and painkillers,” he said.
Stoner said the back pain hits him at least three times a year, usually in cold weather. It generally occurs when is not riding a bike and the pain is normally “manageable.”
“Yesterday, it was far beyond anything I ever had before and I was worried,” he said.
Medical scans have so far been inconclusive, he said, but added he would soon undergo new checks on his back and a stiff neck problem.
Stoner, who posted a top time on day two of 2 minutes 00.895 seconds, said he enjoyed riding his new bike – MotoGP switched this season to 1,000cc engines from the previous 800cc bikes.
“Definitely more power is a little bit more fun. You can square the corners off a little bit more. I actually find more traction [with the 1,000cc bike]. I find this bike a little more stable,” he said.
Testing ends today and is followed by another three-day session at Sepang beginning February 28.
The MotoGP 2012 season will officially start April 8 in Qatar.