Alitalia Aprilia Max Biaggi has been ruled out of this weekend's Imola World Superbike round as the foot he fractured at the Nurburgring has not healed sufficiently and he is unable to race.

The reigning world champion has spent time in the Clinica Mobile at Imola today with Dr Costa and the legendary medic said there was no way he could ride but, with the right rest and physiotherapy, he may be able to take to the grid at Magny-Cours. Carlos Checa, meanwhile, has a 74-point lead over Marco Melandri with only 150 left available, so his crowning as champion is all but assured.

“I came here to try, because my hope was to race on this track which provided me with such great emotion last year, but I have no choice but to painfully acknowledge what has been determined by the last medical exams, conducted just a few minutes ago," said Biaggi.

"The pain has not let up, the fracture is not healed and I don't have the mobility to be able to ride. It is very painful for me to be here stating that I cannot race. I hope that now I will be able to recover in time to be back in the saddle at Magny Cours."