After missing a lot of racing in 2023, Brent van Donick made his MXGP return in Argentina for the 2024 opening round, but things didn’t go according to plan.
A start crash in the MXGP qualifying race meant he didn’t even complete a lap and then got stretched off. The resulting injury: a broken femur, which will see him out of action for a lengthy period.
Van Doninck was taken straight to a local hospital but it was the beginning of a bad nightmare.
Belgian media site, www.hbvl.be, caught up with JM Honda team boss, Jacky Martens for an update.
“They immediately pumped Brent full of morphine,” says team manager Jacky Martens. The Lommel resident is still affected by what he experienced there. “They hammered a pin into his lower leg (by means of traction they ensure that the broken bone in his thigh is nicely aligned again, ed.). Without anesthesia! Horrible. Brent has given up, poor thing.”
The hospital didn’t have the materials required for the operation…
“They could only order that after the weekend. So wait. But on Monday it was suddenly decided to transfer him to Bariloche. When we got there we had to pay first. $2,000, cash. But who has that in their pocket? Almost nobody. Hans Corvers (from the Kemea Yamaha Team, ed.) helped us then. For which eternal thanks. But that hospital turned out to be an equally big disaster. Dirty, dirty. They just left Brent to fend for himself. He didn’t even see a doctor there. I had arranged everything and already paid. A hefty price tag. But suddenly the Argentinians decided to transfer Brent themselves”.
Van Donick still hasn’t had the required operation but is hoping to get it today (Thursday):
The first night he lay there on a hard stretcher in the hallway. His mechanic, who stayed with him there, had to wash Brent and provide food. Irresponsible,” sighs Martens. “Fortunately it is not an open fracture, because then we would probably be talking about an amputation. After some phone calls, he is now finally in a decent room. They also promised that they will operate on Brent today or tomorrow. But we have already received that promise a few times this week. I hope they will finally keep their word, because Brent is in complete physical and mental disarray.”
“But this defies all imagination. I’ve never experienced this before. A tragedy, a shame,” fumed Martens. “I’ve kicked a few people in the shins over the past few days, but I don’t care. Brent is my rider, I am responsible for him. I want him to receive the best care, so that he can return to Belgium quickly. I can’t wait to have him with us again,” Martens concludes.
Source: www.hbvl.be
Image: Full Spectrum Media
