Roberto Rolfo's 2011 season has come to an end in the worst possible way after the Pedercini Kawasaki rider was involved in a road accident while out training on his bicycle last week near home. The Italian ended up with a broken left kneecap and his season is now over.

"I was going downhill when I crashed, almost front-on, into a school bus coming the other way but in the middle of the road", said Rolfo. "I was going between 40 and 50 kph and so was he, so the crash must have been at around 90 kph. I am lucky to have come away with just a broken kneecap."

Rolfo immediately underwent emergency surgery, but this means that he will have to miss the final round of the season this weekend at Portimao.

The Italian, who returned to World Superbike this year on a Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R, is clearly disappointed about not being able to race in Portugal. The last time he raced at Portimao was in 2008, when he finished 12th and 18th on a HANNspree Althea Honda.

"I'm really sorry to miss Portimao, I haven't raced there for years and I would love to have been there on the ups and downs of the circuit."