Oliveira surgery, out of Valencia

Miguel Oliveira is set to miss the forthcoming MotoGP season finale at Valencia after Tech3 KTM confirmed that the Portuguese rider is to undergo surgery on his injured right shoulder in Austria today (Sunday).

While Oliveira’s horrifying crash at Phillip Island’s fearsome turn one injured both of his hands, the Portuguese rider revealed on Friday in Malaysia that further damage to his shoulder is of greater concern.

The shoulder was originally damaged when the rookie was taken out by factory KTM rider Johann Zarco during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in August.

Oliveira is now at a Red Bull facility in Innsbruck, Austria where Dr. Karl Golser will perform the operation on his damaged ligaments.

As with LCR Honda's Takaaki Nakagami, who opted for shoulder surgery after Motegi, it is estimated that Oliveira will need a recovery period of around three months.

That would mean, like Nakagami, Oliveira could be out of action until next year's opening MotoGP test at Sepang in Malaysia, next February.

Declared unfit in Australia, Oliveira had tried to ride in Free Practice at Sepang this weekend, but managed just four laps before withdrawing from the event.

Oliveira will be joined by a new rookie team-mate, Iker Lecuona, at the satellite Tech3 KTM team in 2020.