Yukio fights the pain.

Yukio Kagayama had to battle more than just his rivals at the front of the World Superbike pack at Brands Hatch on Sunday afternoon, after a heavy race one crash left him nursing heavy bruising.

The Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider was up into fourth place following the incidents that befell countryman Nori Haga and reigning world champion Troy Bayliss, but tumbled out at the quick Clearways corner with only four laps remaining to the chequered flag. With the marshals concerned about his conditions, Kagayama was stretchered to a waiting ambulance and taken to the Clinica Mobile, but examinations found, fortunately, that he had suffered nothing more than severe bruising of both knees.

"I was shadowing [team-mate] Max [Biaggi] and waiting to make my move, but crashed just four laps from the end," the Japanese ace sighed, "I had worked out how and where I was going to pass him, but I had a little brake problem going into Clearways and down I went. It is a fast place to crash! I hurt both my knees in the crash and damaged a ligament in my right knee too..."

Despite the pain, Kagayama was given clearance to ride in race two, and immediately set about trying to achieve what he had failed to do in the earlier event. However, with his injuries making it hard to control the bike the way he wanted, he decided that discretion was the better part of valour and eased up in his pursuit of the leaders.

"The ligament damage made it hard for me to get comfortable on the bike," he admitted afterwards,. "It was hard just to get my right foot down on the ground at the start and then move it around on the footpegs. I also had some problems with nearly high-siding a few times, so I decided that I didn't want to crash again and rode steadily for a finish.

"I am very disappointed today because I think I could've taken two podiums, but I will have a little holiday now and be back to full fitness for the next race - where I shall be chasing podiums again."