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RNZ News
6 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Kiwi motorcyclist Cormac Buchanan sets big goal
New Zealand Moto3 rider Cormac Buchanan of BOE Motorsports. Photo: NOUSHAD THEKKAYIL / AFP Southland motorcyclist Cormac Buchanan has set himself a lofty goal for the second half of the MotoGP season. The 18-year-old is in his rookie season in Moto3, the entry level to the motorbike world championship. Buchanan sits 19th in the single-cylinder 250cc category with three top ten finishes to his name after 12 rounds. He didn't have the opportunity to relax during the four week summer break as he was recovering from a crash at the last round in the Czech Republic which left him needing stitches in a deep knee cut. However, Buchanan admits the injury couldn't have come at a better time. "I was lucky that I had three weeks to recover," he told RNZ. "It's obviously not the way I wanted to go into the summer break but we're carrying good momentum. "Even though I missed one race weekend, I can still take the good feelings on the motorcycle and the good form can carry on to the second half of the season." The Barcelona-based rider said he's still not a hundred percent but doesn't expect the injury to affect his racing. At the round before Brno, Buchanan recorded his best finish, a ninth in Germany, admitting that he had now come to terms with the tactics needed in Moto3. "It has only been in the last few rounds that I've learnt how to ride fast on my own in qualifying and not relying just on slipstreaming other riders." New Zealand motorcycle racer Cormac Buchanan. Photo: supplied / Manu Tormo Before that consistency was an issue for him. "Honestly coming into the year I didn't know what to expect and I think it has gone better than I was expecting. "The first few rounds were difficult as I wasn't fully comfortable on the bike but with more laps I've got more confident. "To be in the top ten in three races and Q2 multiple times, that's where I wanted to be by half way through the season." Buchanan is in his first year in MotoGP and has only been racing for six years compared to many Europeans who have been riding since they were toddlers. But he has big ambitions for the second half of the season. "Instead of being there in the front group I now want to be in the front of that front group fighting for the podium. "I think it's a real possibility as we've got some tracks coming up that I've been to." New Zealand rider Cormac Buchanan of BOE Motorsports racing Moto3, 2025. Photo: DAX IMAGES / AFP Buchanan is realistic that it is going to take time and that he needs to be patient. "After the first few races I realised how high the level is in the world championship and I need to think of it more as a two or three year project. "Not expecting too much too soon is a big part of it. "I think I'm doing enough as a rookie to get a ride for next season." The MotoGP Championship heads to Austria this weekend. Buchanan will turn 19 during the Hungary MotoGP at the end of August. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
IOL News
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
South African Moto3 rider Ruché Moodley lucky to walk away from ‘scary' Mugello crash
Ruche Moodley. Photo: BOE Motorsports Image: BOE Motorsports It's been a painful year for South African Moto3 rookie rider Ruché Moodley after he sustained another fall and fracture in Italy last Sunday in what many described as a scary crash. Within the space of four months, Moodley's had surgery twice on his right hand, and sustained three fractures to his right side limbs. The recent 'scary' crash at Mugello saw him walk away with a fracture to his right shoulder blade. Moodley went down in the opening lap of the Mugello Grand Prix, and was then struck by some riders following behind him. In moments leading up to the crash, though, the rookie showed positive intent. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The South African teenager had to undergo an MRI scan to confirm if he sustained damage to his spine. In a recent social media post, Moodley posted an image from his hospital bed in Barcelona, stating that he was in recovery and that he suffered 'a few fractures'. 'Grateful to be here after a scary crash in Mugello last Sunday. I've got a few fractures, but I am in good care. Thank you to my team BOE motorsports, friends, family and medical team for all the care and support. Time to recover,' Moodley said. In the sessions leading up to the crash, Moodley still looked like he was getting back to his usual pace before the April crash. There's no denying that the young rider is going to be out for a while following the Mugello wipe-out, and hopefully rehabilitating his right side arm, which has endured severe stress this season. At the end of April, Moodley fell and crashed in Jerez, Spain and fractured his right radius, causing two other riders to crash well – David Almansa and David Munoz. A rider's right arm is used to accelerate a motorcycle, and young Moodley's has suffered a great deal this year.
The Herald
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Painful Silverstone race for Ruche Moodley
Ruche Moodley made a welcome return to the Moto3 world championship at Silverstone after missing the sixth round, having fractured the radius in his right arm in round five. The 18-year-old Gqeberha rider was given the green light to race in the Silverstone Grand Prix by the FIM medical team. 'I was really happy when the FIM medical team gave me clearance to race this weekend, as I was really frustrated watching the French GP from my couch at home, and it's great to be back on the bike,' Moodley said. 'I have been training almost from the day I got back from the hospital, so I knew my fitness wasn't going to be a problem. But my arm was still quite sore.' The weekend started in a positive manner as Moodley felt good on the bike and delivered competitive lap times, despite still nursing his injured dominant arm. He had a steady qualifying session, managing his tyres and the pain in his arm to place his BOE Motorsports machine in 21st position in the huge Moto3 field. He also had to serve a double long-lap penalty for his role in an incident at the Spanish Grand Prix, which resulted in the fractured arm, so he had a mountain to climb. 'Silverstone is such a high-speed circuit, both with long straights and fast, flowing corners,' Moodley said. 'It really is a physical track that demands a lot of riders. So, we had made a decision that I would stay out of trouble on the opening laps. 'If I crashed or was taken out, my penalty laps would be carried over to the next race. 'So, I took it easy at the start and dropped a few positions on the opening lap. 'This race, for me, was all about getting to the finish line more than anything else. 'I took my penalty laps early in the race, on laps two and three, as I figured the field would be most bunched up then. 'With those two laps done, I kept my head down. I had to focus on the track and getting to the end. 'I struggled later on because I lost a lot of feeling in my arm. It started to feel numb, so it was difficult to feel what the bike was doing. 'I don't have the strength that I had before to muscle the bike around, since I could only start moving my arm in the week leading up to the race. It was immobilised for three weeks and lost strength.' Moodley had a rather lonely race as the front pack set a blistering pace. He steadily worked his way up from 24th to finish 20th when the checkered flag was waved. 'That felt like the longest race of my life. In the second part of the race, I was pretty much on my own, just counting down the laps. 'I was trying not to think about the pain, I was really glad to see the checkered flag. 'The plan now is to build up the strength in my hand. 'I will be much stronger in two weeks when we get to Aragon. I am looking forward to riding that incredible circuit,' he said. The Herald
IOL News
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Surgery to Silverstone: SA star Ruchè Moodley is back on Moto3 track
Ruché Moodley Ruché Moodley during his fourth race in his debut Moto3 season. Photo: BOE Motorsports Image: BOE Motorsports He's blowing up metal detectors all over Spain right now because of the six screws and titanium plate that's holding together his fractured wrist. But all that South African Moto3 rider Ruchè Moodley can think about is getting back on the starting grid. About a month ago, Moodley suffered a nasty crash during the opening lap of the Spanish Grand Prix. His bike had mechanical issues and lost its brakes into Turn 6 at Circuit de Jerez, a low speed corner. Moodley ended up colliding with David Almansa and David Munoz. After he was checked up, it was found that Moodley had suffered a fractured radius on his right hand, which controls the accelerator. The 18-year-old was in surgery the next day in Barcelona – about five hours away from his European base in Alicante, Spain. A titanium plate and six screws were implanted to reset the fracture. But with a surgery of this magnitude, especially in motorsports, the healing and recovery process is paramount to regaining confidence on the track. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Problem is, try telling a teenager with octane in his blood that he has had to sit out a few races. Moodley was forced to miss one of the most history-rich and iconic circuits on his calendar – Le Mans in France. 'It was really frustrating not to be able to race. From the moment I returned from the hospital, I started training again. I was on the static training bicycle to maintain my fitness levels. We also started physio the moment I regained enough strength,' the Eastern Cape-born athlete explained. A few weeks into his rehabilitation, Moodley was given the green light to race again by a Spanish doctor. He was also given the all clear by the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme or FIM – which is the overseeing body of the league.
