Effenbert Ducati's Brett McCormickhas been taken to hospital with apparent non-neurological spinal injuries following a big crash in the second Assen World Superbike race today.

The Canadian was in a tussle with reigning champion Carlos Checa and fell heavily. He was transported to the circuit medical centre where fractures to his fifth and sic cervical vertebrae were diagnosed but no spinal cord damage is thought to have occurred.

"Brett has suffered the trauma of the cervical spine, facial trauma with a hematoma to the eye sockets as well as a fracture of the fifth finger of his right hand, and he was sent to Assen hospital for further evaluation," said a team spokesman.

“The result of more checks carried out that there was a fracture to the fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae, apparently without neurological involvement, so Brett has been transferred in the Groningen hospital, where it will be decided how to stabilize the injuries."