Factory Aprilia's Sylvain Guintoli will not be able to take part in any further tests in 2013 after having surgery on the collarbone he broke days before the Russian World Superbike round.
The Frenchman soldiered on with the injury all year and managed to bag third place in the championship but decided after the last Jerez test that an operation was vital if he was to go into 2014 fully fit.
"I had surgery. It's very sore, but I guess it's normal, I was telling everybody - and myself as well - that everything was going to be fine, but the injury was actually quite bad. After Jerez I wanted to wait a couple of weeks to see if it would come back but it did not improve, so we decided to undergo surgery. The collarbone is now back where it should be and now I can start recovery," said Guintoli.
"With the surgery and the recovery time expected I won't be able to test before January. Both myself and Aprilia want to start 2014 the best way so it's important for me to be back to full fitness."