Motocross

Jeffrey Herlings puts on a brave face at Qatar

Posted:

Monday, February 27th, 2017

7:42 AM

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team rider Jeffrey Herlings traveled to the opening round of the FIM Motocross World Championship at Qatar only partially optimistic of his chances of a debut in the MXGP category.

The Dutchman was still dealing with the fallout of a broken fourth metacarpal on his right hand only two weeks previously. The reigning MX2 World Champion made a bright getaway in the first moto to slot into the top ten but understandably faded due to arm-pump through the 30 minute and 2 lap distance and made it to the line in eighteenth. #84‰Ûªs plight to gain as many MXGP points as possible was better served in Moto2 where he felt more comfortable to score eleventh for fifteenth overall.

‰ÛÏWhat can I say? It was terrible but what can we expect?" Herlings lamented.

"I broke my hand less than two weeks ago, we got it plated the day after (the crash) and then I was supposed to race ten days later. Plus before that I had an injury with my wrist so I missed another four weeks. I didn't really have the feeling I needed on the bike and I had a lot of pain: it was pretty bad. In Motocross you need your entire body and I wasn‰Ûªt 100%. We made some improvements on the bike anyway and I‰Ûªm grateful to have such a strong team behind me and such a strong 450.‰Û

Jeffrey Hearlings at Qatar. Credit: Ray Archer

MXGP Moto 1:
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35:02.202
2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:08.904
3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:12.554
4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:22.042
5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:23.434
6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:26.076
7. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:29.380
8. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:33.072
9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:34.933
10. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:39.219
11. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), +0:40.572.

MXGP Moto 2:
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35:00.353
2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:04.918
3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:23.375
4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:25.782
5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:30.096
6. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:31.689
7. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:33.559
8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:47.517
9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:49.816
10. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:57.389
11. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:59.949
12. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), +1:00.742.

MXGP Overall/ Points Standings:
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 50 points
2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 42 p.
3. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 40 p.
4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 32 p.
5. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 31 p.
6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 31 p.
7. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 31 p.
8. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KAW), 24 p.
9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 19 p.
10. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 19 p.
11. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), 19 p.