KTM’s Bas Vaessen will have checks this week after a crash in Indonesia that briefly left him unable to move from the neck down. The Dutchman is currently third in the British championship, which heads to Hawkstone Park this weekend.

Vaessen got caught up in a crash on Sunday when Thomas Kjer Olsen fell in front of Vaessen after tangling with another rider heading into the first turn after the gate drop. This left the Dutchman with nowhere to go, and Vaessen was catapulted high in the air and landed heavily, with his bike then landing on him.

After some very worrying moments, Vaessen was able to gingerly walk off the track, and will undergo tests back home in Holland to assess the full extent of his injuries. 

Bas Vaessen: “After struggling all weekend with my knee injury from last week, the story of the weekend was my crash in the second moto. I ran into Olsen’s bike after his crash and had nowhere to go. After the bike landed on me I had no feeling from the neck down for four minutes and that was a really scary moment for me. The feeling in my legs is back now and it’s also slowly coming back in my arms, too. When I get back to Holland I’ll have a full check-up and see what the medical staff say.”

Roger Magee, Team Manager Hitachi KTM Fuelled by Milwaukee: “Bas struggled in the MX2 qualifying race on Saturday and the first moto on Sunday after picking up a slight knee injury last weekend in Palembang. This, however, was totally eclipsed with what happened in turn one in the second moto when he was involved in a high speed crash after Olsen had gone down just in front of him, and he couldn’t avoid the stricken factory Husqvarna.

“He didn’t have any feeling below the shoulders for some minutes after the crash, but thankfully the feelings in his legs returned and he was able to walk back to the paddock without assistance. In the hours that passed after the incident, he had some tingling in his upper body but, thankfully, that has now receded as well. Once he returns to Holland tomorrow, he will undergo full medical examinations and tests to determine any injuries that he may have incurred. Many thanks to the medical staff at the circuit and our Team members Ian and Vaclav for dealing with the traumatic situation and offering all the care and support required for Bas.” Photo Ray Archer.