Moto champion Stoner upbeat, fit for title defence
26 January 2008, By AFP
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — World champion Casey Stoner said Friday his injured shoulder is improving and he is ready for serious training to defend his world MotoGP title this year.
The 22-year-old Ducati rider injured his right shoulder ligaments at the end of November, and although he did not undergo surgery he needed a long rest period to recover.
"We couldn't have started the year better. My shoulder feels better every day and now I know I can get back to full training," he said during pre-season testing at Malaysia's Sepang Circuit, according to organisers.
"I'm leaving Sepang feeling really happy -- partly because my shoulder hasn't given me too many problems and partly because I feel even more competitive than last season," he said in a statement.
Stoner was in Malaysia for three-days of testing which ended Thursday, along with rivals five-time world-champion Valentino Rossi for Yamaha and Spain's Dani Pedrosa, who rides for Honda.
The Australian said he hoped to push his machine harder during next week's tests at Phillip Island in Melbourne, Australia. The riders will return to Sepang for another round early next month.
"Now we have to focus on this season and on getting the best possible start, so I can't wait to continue testing at Phillip Island," Stoner said, adding he thought the bike and tyres were improving ahead of the first race of the year, which is a night event -- a first for MotoGP -- on March 9 at Losail, Qatar.
