From a press release issued by MS Aprilia:


Garry McCoy joins Aprilia for last three races

AUSTRALIAN Garry McCoy will join the MS Aprilia Racing team for the final three rounds of the 2004 MotoGP world championship.

McCoy will make his debut on the Cube three-cylinder at next weekend’s Malaysian GP at Sepang, substituting for injured British rider Shane Byrne, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season through injury. McCoy will also appear in front of his home crowd at Phillip Island’s Australian GP on October 17 and at the season’s final race in Valencia, Spain.

Famous for his spectacular sliding riding style, McCoy brings a wealth of world championship experience with him. He won his first premier class GP at the Welkom circuit in South Africa in 2000, and went onto claim two more victories in Estoril and Valencia in the same season. He eventually finished fifth in the overall world 500 championship standings in 2000. He also claimed four other premier class podiums, adding to his two wins in the world 125 championship.

McCoy has spent the 2004 season riding in the World Superbike championship, but with the series reaching its conclusion this weekend in France, McCoy is available to partner Jeremy McWilliams for the rest of the season. McCoy will work with Byrne’s team, led by Giacomo Guidotti.

Aprilia racing chief Jan Witteveen said: “Garry contacted us after Japan and from that moment we were seriously considering him for a ride on the RS Cube. He brings with him great quality, but he is also the only rider who has no contract problems with the World Superbike championship finishing on Sunday. We are looking forward to working with him because we know he is a rider of great talent.”

Byrne underwent a successful two-hour operation yesterday in San Marino to repair ligament and scaphoid bone damage to his left wrist. Byrne damaged the wrist in a crash at the Czech Republic GP back in August, and after finishing 13th at the Twin Ring Motegi GP in Japan last month, further medical checks revealed a broken scaphoid bone and serious ligament damage.

Doctor Soragni and GP Doctor Claudio Costa carried out the operation. Byrne is now beginning a two-month rehabilitation and he will be able to commence an intensive course of physiotherapy in three weeks time in a bid to be fit for winter testing.