Red Bull KTM rider Jeffrey Herlings sure has given motocross fans something to be excited about in 2018. His poor starts, and brilliant speed has seen him be the most watched rider in the first three rounds and despite being the fastest rider out there, he is still just equal in the MXGP points standings.
Watching Tony Cairoli win his 84th GP wasn’t what he hoped for from Redsand and you can be sure while he goes to round four in Trentino, he will want to make a good start and put pressure on the Italian at home.
Mental games are everything in sport, and Cairoli and Herlings are hard at it, with the two rubbing shoulders out of the start in moto two, and Herlings being more than a little unhappy about the situation.
Our man David Bulmer caught up with the flying Dutchman last weekend.
Another awesome event and maybe not the finish you wanted, but for the fans it’s amazing to watch.
It is, lovely to watch, but as an athlete, I want to come out of the first turn top three and fight from there, and its to always come from outside the top five, most of the time outside the top ten and I have to fight my way through. That is tough to accept, but KTM is a strong brand and we will come through. If you want to challenge Tony every weekend, then you need to start with him, for sure on the hard tracks, which are coming up.
Can you describe your Sunday?
With this track I really tried to win, but first moto I had a bad start then second moto I was maybe fourth and really up there and Tony cut me off, which wasn’t very nice from my team-mate, but that is racing and we both have the same goal. Then I crashed in the first lap and I came from around 15th or 20th and fought my way to Tony. The first moto I was saving myself to go all out in the second moto. Tony did a good job and we went 1-2 again and are matching in the points. Once I got into second I could see that there were only a few minutes left and I had like seven seconds to make up and I couldn’t make up the ground. I am also getting some parts for the start, so that we will get this week. Personally, that is where I am losing the race in the start and we get some things in this week.
You mentioned you have parts coming, Antonio mention he has parts coming, are these the same parts, same stuff, or different things.
Not sure what parts he needs, because he is holeshotting, he doesn’t need the parts, he starts up front. I got parts coming for the start, stuff to improve with, it might not help a lot, but it should help. It can maybe put me consistently inside the top five.
Last weekend was Valkenswaard, which is your track, and next round we go to Trentino, which is Tony’s, you see it as his track? You going for a win there?
That’s what we go for. It is basically the home from Tony, but at least we will do our best. It is his home Grand Prix and he will be extra motivated with all the Italian fans and stuff, but I will take it as it is, run around for the championship. He will be really motivated to go there any win, but from my side I hope for the best and see what happens.
Have you looked at the calendar and picked out races that will suit you, or you just take it for each race and don’t really care?
One race was actually this race (Redsand), but it was way different than riding in training in the winter, all the jumps got lifted. It’s the same layout, but the waves are in, the jumps are different. Italy is going to be a tough one, but if I start good there, like top three, then I know I can also win there, but it isn’t a track you can’t go from 15th to first so much.
How are you feeling the competition in MXGP this year?
The competition is strong, and it’s tough to always come through the pack, and every week I have to do it and just make it, so it kind of not nice to start from that position. I know we have a great team behind me and we will work on that in the coming weeks. Maybe it won’t be solved we keep improving. I am not the best of starters, but I keep working on it.
A lot of races to come.
It is a long season, still 17 races to go from my side we will do the best we can.
Pauls Jonass was the first rider since you to win six motos in a row in MX2. What is your opinion of him at the moment?
If he wants to win 61 GPs in MX2, then he still has some things to do, but he is looking good this year. I see him daily or every weekend and he looks strong, also mentally. He doesn’t care about anything and he knows he is the guy. It is nice to see. He stays very normal and its great to see someone like that.
Photos by: Ray Archer
