PR: Jeffrey Herlings surprises in Argentina
Jeffrey Herlings of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing surprised friend and foe during the first race of the MXGP World Championship in Argentina. Herlings managed to finish second in the daily rankings with a 4-2 in the heats.
After Herlings missed the entire world championship last year due to injuries, he was back behind the starting gate at a race for the MXGP world championship this weekend for 15 months. Herlings did not know where he would stand and he also missed the match rhythm. On Saturday Herlings had a hard time. He did not get further than ninth in the time training and due to a bad start in the qualifying heat he finished tenth.
On Sunday everything was different. In the first moto he got a reasonably good start and came out of the first lap in seventh place. He quickly took sixth place and advanced to fourth place before the middle of the heat. Even though he started to get tired, Herlings persevered and managed to keep the attacking riders behind him, eventually crossing the finish line in a good fourth place.
In the second moto he started better and quickly took second place. Herlings managed to open up a gap on the third man and rode his own race. In the final phase, Jeremy Seewer came up hard, but Herlings kept a cool head and managed to cross the finish line in second place.
Commentary Jeffrey Herlings:
“I got better and better over the weekend. I haven't raced against these riders for sixteen months and you shouldn't underestimate how strong this class is. I've done thousands of laps in training but nothing compares to competing. In every session it went a little better and a second place is not bad I think. If I had had this option before the start of the match, I would have signed immediately. From now on I want to continue to expand my competition rhythm.”
With a 4-2 in the heats, Herlings finished in second place in the daily rankings. He occupies fourth place in the world championship standings. Next Sunday Herlings will start in the Dutch Masters of Motocross in Harfsen and the following week the next Grand Prix is scheduled in Riola Sardo, Sardinia.
Posted: Steven van Kempen/KEMCO
GALLERY: KTM
Also to read
VIDEO: Highlights MXGP Portugal 2024
After a two-week break, the FIM MXGP-MX2 World Championship continued in Portugal. The normally sunny south was treated to lots of water this weekend! Liam Everts made very…MXGP Portugal: Pauls Jonass takes overall victory, Herlings wins the second series
The hard-fought MXGP of Portugal is one for the books because the rain that fell this weekend had turned Agueda into a mud puddle. Pauls Jonass was surprisingly able to…MX2 Portugal: Dominant Liam Everts takes the full spoils in the mud
Liam Everts has won the brutal Grand Prix of Portugal with a double series victory. In Agueda a heavily muddy circuit was thrown under the wheels and the race was…Tim Gajser beats Pauls Jonass in apocalyptic first MXGP series
In a gray and wet Agueda, Tim Gajser has just won the first series of the MXGP class. He trumped Pauls Jonass for the win. Jeffrey Herlings fought a heroic…
Your reactions