Red Bull KTM’s Cyril Despres will miss the first race of the 2012 rally season – the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – due to a shoulder injury. The 2012 Dakar Rally winner fell while cross-country skiing at his home in Andorra last week and damaged ligaments in his shoulder.

Although hopeful that he won’t need surgery to repair the damage Cyril faces three weeks of physiotherapy, meaning he’ll miss the Abu Dhabi event.

“Unfortunately, while cross country skiing last week, I fell heavily on my right shoulder and damaged some ligaments,” explained Despres. “I got it checked out at Presport in Perpignan this week and I will go back again shortly. For now though no riding for three weeks, just lots of physiotherapy. The good news is that with the great medical back up I have, I should be able to make a full recovery without the need for an operation…”