Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings is working hard to get to something like his former self. It’s been a wakeup call riding in the MXGP class, and with his wrist injury it hasn’t made life easier. Sitting in 13th place in the MXGP championship points and down 66 points on series leader Tim Gajser, it’s a long road to the top.
His second moto in Argentina last weekend did show a lot of progress, and it for sure won’t be too long before we see the number 84 back on the podium and battling for moto and GP victories. David Bulmer caught up with the Dutchman last weekend and they talked about the season so far, and what he can expect from the coming weekends.
It must be nice to be at a track like this after the mud in Indonesia. Also, Qatar was difficult for you?
Definitely. In Qatar I just came out of a surgery and Indonesia was a gamble for everybody—not really racing. The track in Argentina is great, but the Saturday [qualifying] didn’t go to plan. We crashed in the first corner and came from dead last or something. I don’t know, I got to 14th or 15th. There is a lot of work to do. I hadn’t ridden much in the last months, and you are seeing that right now. I have a lack of training. Plus, I am still riding with pain in my hand, but we keep working and hope to bet better and better. The championship dream is getting smaller and smaller, but we will see how it turns out.
Are you almost glad the second moto in Indonesia got cancelled?
Obviously, you never know what was going to happen. It could have been different. You see with [Shaun] Simpson—he won there—it’s always a gamble. He did great, but a second moto might have gone in my favor or against me.
After the Saturday in Argentina, what was your goal for the Sunday.
I wanted a top ten or maybe close to the top five and work from there. Two weeks until Mexico and three week until Italy, so we will work for those races.
How did the Sunday motos feel?
With my wrist problem and hand injury, it has been a tough road and this is perhaps the most demanding class in the world. This was the best weekend we had so far, but it still wasn’t good enough. We’ll keep on working and getting better.
I guess Italy will be 100% for you?
I know those tracks. We have been a couple of times to Mexico, but we just need to ride more and do some races. I hadn’t raced for like six months and I raced in Qatar and we did the one moto in Indonesia, so my racing rhythm isn’t there yet. We are just looking really bad at the moment. We will get there hopefully. It’s so different in the 450 class. The bike handles differently in a race situation and you need to get used to it.
Obviously, you are looking forward to starting up front and racing with the front guys. How much do you look forward to that?
Even, though, with this injury we didn’t expect to be so far off—I mean on Saturday we were near last—but only came back to 15th so that still isn’t good. On that type of track—it’s a little sandy—I should have been top ten on the Saturday. I just miss race rhythm and time heals a lot they say.
Obviously, once we get back to the European rounds you can train every day and ride more?
Indonesia was two weeks back, and it’s a serious trip. Argentina is also a serious trip, and you are only home for a couple of days to ride and test and we are fighting against time. We have two weeks before Mexico so hopefully we can do a lot of riding. Then, when we return full-time to Europe, we can be gone for only two or three days, but for Argentina you are gone for like a week.
Are you looking ahead to Valkenswaard, as your real chance to show yourself?
I should be winning and I am not even close to winning. I don’t know what is going on. We just wait and see and it all turns out well. I hope I am in good health, and if we are going to keep the winning streak alive, then I need to be in shape. It’s a track I obviously like. I have won there seven or eight times already. The points are going to be a big gap already.
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