Herlings rules the sand in Belgium for third MXGP win of 2024
More trophies, more celebrations and continued success in 2024 MXGP for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing as Jeffrey Herlings demonstrated his superlative skill in sandy conditions once again to win a hot and sunny Grand Prix of Flanders at Lommel. The Dutchman went 1-1 at round 14 of 20 to snare his third victory of the year and tenth podium appearance (nine in a row) with the KTM 450 SX-F.
For the eleventh year in a row Lommel staged the Belgian stop on the MXGP calendar and the versatile but brutally rough and sapping sand close to the Dutch border was another dauting terrain for the world’s fastest Grand Prix riders.
Jeffrey Herlings rode to a strong 2nd position on an overcast Saturday and for an exciting RAM Qualification Heat where he almost seized P1. In the MX2 class Liam Everts was the squad’s top runner with 5th place and after fighting back from an early mistake.
Many eyes and a lot of support from a large crowd at Lommel centered on Herlings for a sunny Sunday. His charge from 2nd to the front was briefly interrupted by a collision with a backmarker in the first moto but #84 was able to drop his lap-times and grasp the checkered flag. In the second chase Herlings started well and again pursued the leader – this time without issues – and swept into P1 on lap eight of 16. The result marked his second ‘1-1’ of the term and enlarges his haul of moto wins to 10. Jeffrey has classified in the top three 14 times from the last 15 starts.
The MXGP standings are narrowing. After banking 59 points in Belgium, Herlings is now less than 40 from the peak of the table.
MXGP will cross water towards the west coast of Sweden and to Uddevalla for round 15 in two weeks’ time.
Jeffrey Herlings, 1st and 1st for 1st overall in MXGP: “It’s been a really good weekend. First moto I was trying to overtake the same guy a couple of times and ended-up hitting him and banging my knee. That meant I had to warm-it-up and take it a big easy at the start of the second moto. Jorge [Prado] has been really strong at the start of races so I had to make a rhythm and try not to blow up. I passed him and made a little gap and then managed it. Every point counts, and I fought for every one today. It’s a fun track and I obviously I’m strong in the sand. I was beaten in Sardinia but I’ve been getting better and better and riding more like my old self. I’m looking forward to the next one and then soon my home GP.”
Overall MXGP Lommel:
1 Jeffrey Herlings 50 Pnt
2 Jorge Prado 44 Pnt
3 Romain Febvre 38 Pnt
4 Tim Gajser 34 Pnt
5 Glenn Coldenhoff 30 Pnt
World Championship Standings MXGP:
1 Tim Gajser 705 Pnt
2 Jorge Prado 681 Pnt
3 Jeffrey Herlings 667 Pnt
4 Calvin Vlaanderen 507 Pnt
5 Jeremy Seewer 479 Pnt
Photocredits – Ray Archer
