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Valentino Rossi has suffered chest and abdominal injuries after crashing an MX bike while training. The Italian had been practicing at the Cross Park Cavallara, near Pesaro, and is reported to have crashed his motocross bike, according to Italian website GPOne.com. 

The crash was severe enough to cause chest and abdominal trauma, according to reports, though other Italian sources speak of closed injuries, rather than open wounds. Rossi was taken to the emergency room at Rimini hospital, and is currently being kept at the hospital for observation. 

At this point, the precise extent of Rossi's injuries are unclear. GPOne are reporting that doctors initially suspected a fractured rib, then a possible shoulder injury. Rossi is due to have a scan in the morning, which should reveal more. Rimini Today reported that Rossi was also being examined for a light head injury, though this was not a cause for concern.

It is unknown at this moment whether he will be fit for Mugello or not.

It is unusual for Rossi to suffer a motocross accident. The Italian had almost completely abandoned riding MX after the severe shoulder injury he picked up on an MX bike at the start of the 2010 season. It took surgery and an extensive recovery period at the end of that year before he was back to full fitness, though by that time, he was well into his two-year period in the wilderness with Ducati.

Since then, Rossi has turned his attention to dirt track. The Italian has had a special facility built in the hills near his home in Tavullia, containing a variety of tracks with a mixture of turns. The idea was to train specific riding skills, and the track has helped him adapt to the demands of a modern MotoGP bike with huge success. But it was also built to help him avoid the types of injury which can occur on a motocross bike, especially when crashing over jumps. Whether that is how he injured himself on Thursday is unclear.

UPDATE

The Movistar Yamaha team issued the following press release late on Thursday night:

VALENTINO ROSSI RECOVERING FROM MOTOCROSS INJURY

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP‘s Valentino Rossi is recovering from a motocross training accident that occurred on Thursday evening, May 25th.

Gerno di Lesmo (Italy), 25th May 2017

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team rider Valentino Rossi was involved in a motocross training accident at the Cross Club Cavallara in Mondavio (Pesaro Urbino, Italy), on Thursday, May 25th.

The 38-year-old Italian rider was taken to a local hospital for a medical check-up, where he was diagnosed with mild thoracic and abdominal trauma.

No fractures have been detected in any part of the body and no serious traumatic pathologies were found.

A further medical bulletin will be issued on Friday, 26th May, at 12:00 hrs CET.