Last August Joan Lascroz, who became a paraplegic following his crash during testing at Imola last April said, “I will deeply rethink my life and look for economic resources to suit my situation since it is not that easy. I will have to find new goals to continue enjoying life, but certainly not with the same intensity as it has been. Sometimes I feel a great sadness for how quickly it changed, all because of that wall. And I have many thoughts in my head about what happened. Sometimes I think with optimism and what the future holds.”

Now the former Kawasaki rider has found a new career and will be a World Superbike technical commentator for Spain’s RTVE network who just signed a three-year (2013-2015) with Dorna to broadcast the championship.

Spanish journalist Marc Martin will be in the commentators’ booth and he’ll have former World Superbike rider Ruben Xaus with him, while Lascorz will be commenting from TVE’s studios in Sant Cugat.

“I’m enthusiastic to be part of this project,” said Lascorz, “I’ll be able to still enjoy the bikes from another point of view. Sometimes you get to live racing more intensely watching them on TV because you can leave aside the pressure that you have when you’re a rider.”

Source | rtve.es via bikeracing.it

Tom Sykes was wearing this special Lascorz tribute helmet (based on the Lascorz support sticker) during the last Superbike round at Magny-Cours to honour of his former team-mate Joan Lascorz.

Sykes won the final race of 2012 season and just missed winning the championship by half a point, and has decided to auction off his one-off Shark helmet on e-Bay to raise money to help Joan continue his rehabilitation and recovery. The auction will last until October 20th and you can bid on the helmet by clicking here. The winning bidder can also have the lid autographed by Sykes or Lascorz and if the bidder is a UK resident, Sykes will personally delivery it.

Lascorz suffered a devasting spinal cord injury following a crash the Imola post-race test earlier this year that left him in a wheelchair. The Spaniard recently visited the Kawasaki team’s new headquarters and it seems that Provec has offered him a job so he can remain in close contact with the paddock.

Kawasaki (Provec Racing) has issued another press release (in Spanish) with a new health update on Joan Lascorz, and for the first time since his horrific accident five months ago while testing at the Imola which left the unfortunate Spanish rider paralyzed from the waist down and with no feeling in his fingers and abdominal area, Lascorz personally talks about his situation and the team has detailed what happened to him that fateful day.

Here is the translation of the press release.

The current situation

Joan Lascorz remains hospitalized at the Guttmann Institute to continue his rehabilitation program and and adapt to his new life. It is expected that Joan will leave the Institute in mid September. Lascorz suffered a lesion of the C6 vertebra due to the impact against a concrete wall at the Imola circuit. Joan has suffered a dislocated vertebra C6 spinal cord injury which doctors have judged to be irreversible. Joan is a paraplegic: he has no mobility in his legs, fingers and abdominal area, but has sensibility in his hands, face, neck, arms, shoulders, elbows and wrists. He has 100% of his mental faculties and is refocusing with great mental strength and motivation on a new career in other sports outside World Superbikes.

The circumstances of the accident

Joan suffered his accident during the World Superbike championship.
Joan crashed while doing his job and pushing to the limit as the telemetry data revealed and Guim Roda, Kawasaki Racing Team Manager said, “Joan lost control of the bike entering a right hander in 5th gear after the straight with his front wheel slightly off the ground, when his tire made contact with the asphalt he went off track while he was lowering his best lap time. The consequences of the accident are not due so much to the crash itself, but the impact at almost 200 km/h against an unprotected wall.

Continue reading: Joan Lascorz talks for the first time and Kawasaki reveals details of accident

Almost three months after that horrific accident during the post race tests at Imola, we can see the first image of Joan Lascorz at the Guttmann Institute together with rally car driver Albert Llovera who suffered a skiing accident while competing European Ski Cup in Sarejevo when he was just 18 that left him a paraplegic.

Lascorz has been at the Guttmann Institute since May 14th to under further rehabilitation after his 20 day hospitalization at the LaValles Hospital. The Spaniard has regained use of his arms and hands, but has no feeling in his abdomen and legs and will have follow another three to four months of daily physiotherapy .

“I am here with one of my mates from the “Guttmann Team” Joan Lascorz jejeje, a few days ago I was visiting him in his room and now he has been visiting me in mine the whole week. One day we are at the top and the next… we don’t even know. Let’s enjoy everyday and every moment, ” said Llovera who published the photo and the message on his Facebook page.

Source| bikeracing.it

Provec Racing who manages Kawasaki’s World Superbike team has issued this new health update on their rider Joan Lascorz. The Spanish rider unfortunately suffered severe spinal injuries following a high speed crash, during the post-race Superbike test at Imola on April 2nd.

Joan Lascorz was transferred to the Guttmann Institute on Monday May 14 after 40 days spent in the Hospital Vall d’Hebron. On arrival at the Guttmann Institute Joan spent a few days adjusting to the upright position of the chair after so many days in bed, as symptoms of dizziness and risk of fainting are common. He has already begun working with physiotherapists on a routine that is expected to last a minimum of 4 months.

The team wish to thank everyone again for all the support that Joan has received in this period from riders and teams of both MotoGP and WSBK as well as the press in general.

The team have set up an initiative in support of Lascorz by creating a symbolic shield sticker ‘Power for Lascorz’, which has garnered consensus and encouragement from all parties (the above image). Provec wish to continue this initiative and would like to have the participation of all riders and teams again from the races in Misano (WSBK) and Montmeló (MotoGP) until the final race of the season, by asking them to place the sticker somewhere on the bike or the equipment of the team. The sticker will be distributed in the Paddock at Misano and Montmeló

The last time that Provec Racing (Kawasaki Superbike team) released a health update on Joan Lascorz was about fifteen days ago when they reported that the Spaniard who suffered a serious spinal injury (fractured 6th vertebra) during the post race test at Imola had left the Vall d’Hebron Intensive Care Trauma Unit and had been transferred to the spinal lesion ward and was waiting to be transferred to the Guttmann Institute to being his long rehabilitation.

The team has issued a new statement which says that the doctors have removed his tracheostomy tube as he is breathing on his own and that Lascorz is fully conscious and can talk with no problems and that he remembers everything about his crash at Imola - which will be in due time analyzed and explained publicly.

Joan has regained feeling and mobility in his arms and hands, however at the present has none in his abdomen or legs but when he’s transferred to the Guttmann Institute (on Monday May 14th) his spinal injury will be re-evalutated by his new doctors and therapists to program the recovery plan.

The team and family also thanked the doctors and nurses of the Vall d’Hebron hospital for the dedication and attention and all those who have been supporting then up to now, and thanking fellow riders Tom Sykes and Leon Haslam who mentioned Joan during the Monza podium ceremony, and also Lorenzo, Espargaro e Marquez and all the riders who supported Joan with their stickers in last week’s MotoGP race, and saying it was expecially moving seeing Espargaro and Marquez fight for the victory in Portugal with the banner “Animo Joan” on their fairings.

Source | motocuatro.com

Accordingly to a Tweet unleahed on the internet by Italian journalist Fabio Di Palma, Guim Roda, team manager of the Kawasaki Racing team, has announced that the Ninja ZX-10R left available by injured Joan Lascorz will be ridden this weekend by former 125 and Moto2 rider Sergio Gadea. The 27 years old Spaniard will then take part at the imminent fourth round of the World Superbike Championship, taking place in Monza at the end of this week, but at this very moment it is unclear whether the choice is just temporary or definitive till the end of the current season.

Kawasaki Provec Racing has released a new statement (in Spanish) regarding the condition of its rider Joan Lascorz following his serious accident during World Superbike testing at Imola.

The new press release reports that Lascorz is now breathing unaided and is able to comunicate with family members and friends and has left the Intensive Care Trauma Unit of the Vall d’Hebron hospital in Barcelona and is currently in the spinal treatment ward.

The Spanish rider will soon be transferred to the Gutttman Institute just outside Barcelona, a specialized neurorehabilitation hospital to begin his long and difficult rehabilitation program.

“Joan Lascorz these days is showing progressive improvements in his physical condition, particularly in regards to his respiratory system. The Spaniard is conscious, and breathing without the aid of machines and is talking with his doctors and family.

Joan was transferred from intensive care unit and is now in the spinal injuries division at the University Hospital Vall d’Hebron and in the coming days, is expected to be transferred to the Guttmann Institute to continue his rehabilitation program.

Joan, his family and the team wish to thank again all the doctors, nurses and medical staff of the Hospital Vall d’Hebron, as well as all the people who have been close to Joan in these recent weeks. Special thanks also to the two Superbike winners at Assen, Sylvain Guintoli and Jonathan Rea, who dedicated their victories to Joan on Sunday. ”

Kawasaki has released during this WSBK round at Assen a new update regarding Joan Lascorz condition following the horrible accident that he sustained during the post-Imola Pirelli test earlier this month.

According to the press release Lascorz is now conscious and is still in the Intensive Care Unit of Hospital de la Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona, where he will remain until they can clear his lungs of a mucus build-up and then he will be moved to a specialist recovery centre within the hospital, but doctors will most likely wait until next week to make the move.

According to an interview published on today on Spanish website as.com with the famous Dr. Xavier Mir who is consulting on the case, stated that Lascorz has lost the use of his legs, but he may recover some use of his hands as he has some sensibility in his shoulder, elbow and wrist.

Team Manager, personal manager and friend of Joan Lascorz, Guim Roda said, “First of all we want to thank everyone for the interest and respect shown after Joan’s accident, especially in his native Spain, but also from all over the world. Friends, industry professionals and journalists – many thanks for all the support. We need to emphasize above all the effort and love of his parents Juan and Maribel and all his family who are hour-after-hour beside Joan and their closest friends. Thanks also for the attention and organization of all the doctors involved, and to the Catalan and Spanish Motorcycling Federations.”

Continue reading: Kawasaki updates on Joan Lascorz injury

According to the Italian and Spanish press, Kawasaki has decided not to replace seriously injured Joan Lascorz in the third round of the World Superbike season at Assen and will be fielding only Tom Sykes.

Sykes just completed at two day private test at Valencia ahead of the April 22nd round and part of Lascorz’s crew has been assigned to help Pedercini’s David Salom with the electronics on the ZX-10R, until the team decides on who will be Lascorz’s replacement rider, with several names now being bandied around.

A new injury update press release issued by the Provec Racing team on April 11th, reports that vital support systems are going be removed to allow the Spanish rider to breathe autonomously and “Lascorz is starting to wake up”. Soon the doctors will carry out an appraisal of the situation on a muscular level to get a better understanding of the rider’s condition and to be able to plan his ‘short and medium term’ recovery programme.”

Lascorz’s Kawasaki and a team message will be on display at Assen during the entire race weekend.