Having made an impressive
MotoGP debut last weekend at
Donington Park, many expected AMA Superbike champion Ben Spies to again replace
Loris Capirossi when the Italian sustained a further arm injury on his return to action at Assen on Thursday (see separate story).
However, it was subsequently announced that Spies - although present at Assen - would not be riding Capirossi's bikes during the two remaining days of the Dutch TT.
"The reason was that Ben didn't want to ride," A Rizla Suzuki spokesman told
Crash.net.
"He was given the choice and chose not to.
"He would have been a day behind other riders at a track he doesn't know and the weather forecast for here is not favourable so that would make it doubly difficult.
"Plus he has a test at Indianapolis [next] week that is quite important and he didn't want to jeopardise that."
After taking part in the test, Spies will return to the MotoGP paddock on a third GSV-R - alongside Capirossi and
Chris Vermeulen - at both his home US rounds of the 2008 world championship, to be held at Laguna Seca on July 20 and then Indianapolis on September 14.
Spies, who qualified eighth (in the wet) and finished 14th (in the dry) at Donington Park, intends to secure a full time MotoGP ride for the 2009 season.
