Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Italian Max Biaggi had stitches removed from his left leg/ankle last week by Dr. Claudio Costa in Imola, Italy, according to a posting on Biaggi’s official website.

Biaggi wrote that he was happy with the movement he already has in his foot and with Dr. Costa’s reassurance that everything looked to be healing well.

The four-time 250cc World Champion (who broke his lower left leg and ankle while riding his Supermoto bike near Rome, Italy in early November and had surgery to repair the damage soon after) is aiming to be fit enough to ride when the annual MotoGP testing ban ends January 20, 2005.

No official announcement has been made, but Biaggi is expected to be named teammate to Nicky Hayden on the Repsol Honda factory team.