Photo by: Ray Archer
Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings is on a roll, no doubt about it. Is there anything this amazing talent can’t achieve in his career?
The quickest MX2 rider in the world, and many people are saying the best in motocross, period. His season to date has seen him lose just one race—a fourth place finish in the opening race of the pre-season. Since that fourth place finish he has reeled off 28 moto wins (combining pre-season and GP season) and he is still counting.
Apart from that one blemish in the pre-season, he has been undefeated. No other riders has come close to that, and in some of these races Herlings’ has beaten the best MXGP riders in the world.
Previous to this most recent run of victories, the best for Herlings in his career was going undefeated in the first six GP’s of the 2013 season, before losing a moto to Jose Butron in Brazil.
Herlings goes into the sixth round of this year’s MX2 championship, set for Kegums in Latvia, riding on the crest of a wave that many say is the best they have seen the Dutchman ride.
His race craft is improving, and instead of charging to the front and wanting to win by minutes, he is happy to take his time and win by seconds.
You seemed a lot calmer in the last couple of GP’s in Argentina and Mexico. You’re taking your time now.
The thing is I lost the championship being too aggressive, like my crashes in Germany and Sweden last year. I was pushing too much at the beginning when the track is watered. Of course they have to water for the dust, but then you cannot push. Everyone is really excited at the beginning and then the slow it down a little. I did what I had to do, pulled a good start, then made a pass for the lead and took a gap. It doesn’t matter how much you win by if it’s a second or a minute it doesn’t matter.
It has been a good season until now, a lot of moto and GP wins. You love to join the legends of the sport and break records. What records can you break?
My long term goal was to get over 101 moto wins and get more than 10 titles. Being on 52 GP wins and over 100 moto wins, it’s been a successful, but had I not crashed I would maybe have my fifth title this year. Now I think it is going to be difficult to win 10 world championships, I don’t think it can happen, we will do our best to try and get there.
You lost a championship in Mexico, how did it feel coming back and getting the moto win?
It was a mixed feeling going back to that track. Losing the championship there was a bummer and I gave it my all. At least I did not race with a broken femur this time. After losing my championship two years ago, I going there, and dominating, is just amazing. Second moto I came out with the win, number 52 already and 49 to go.
