Hodgson was World Superbike Champion in 2003

Former World Superbike champion and MotoGP rider Neil Hodgson has announced his retirement after failing to recover from a shoulder injury.

The 36-year-old aggravated an old injury when he crashed in the opening round at Brands Hatch in early April on his return to British Superbikes.

"I am gutted obviously," Burnley-born Hodgson said in a statement.

"It will take time for me to come to terms with retirement but it is the right decision."

He added: "My shoulder will get back to probably 90% over the next couple of years so I will be able to have a normal life."

The Motorpoint Yamaha rider saw a shoulder specialist in Manchester on Wednesday but the extent of the injury and the time it would take to recover proved too severe for the 2003 World Superbike champion.

Riding the bike was the best therapy but also the biggest risk Neil Hodgson

Isle of Man resident Hodgson started in 1982 as a schoolboy motocross rider but progressed to road racing in 1990 and finished eighth in the British Clubman's Ministock Championship.

Aged only 18, he became British National 125cc champion and went on to ride for Ducati and Kawasaki in the World Superbike Championships before becoming British champion with GSE Racing in 2000.

His world title in the 2003 saw him nominated as BBC Sports Personality of the Year and the following year he switched to MotoGP, finishing 17th in the World Championships.

In 2009, after a move to the AMA Superbike Championships, Hodgson suffered the accident that would come back to haunt him, damaging the tendons in his left arm after a crash during training.

"To be honest, I'm still pretty shell-shocked from Brands," he said.

"When you start the season you know you're going to have to take a few knocks but the very first time I slid off I landed straight on my shoulder.

"I knew it was bad. I have lived with it all last year and got to understand the level of weakness and recovery.

"I had more work to do but was really happy with the progress. Riding the bike was the best therapy but also the biggest risk."

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