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Jeffrey Herlings Wins Season-Opener GP in Great Britain

Jeffrey Herlings of the Red Bull KTM Factory Team won the first round of the 2020 MXGP world championship series in Matterley Basin, Great Britain. With first and second in the heats respectively, he took overall honours and is the championship points leader.

The track at Matterley Basin suffered severe winds and storms on Friday and Saturday, and the organizers curtailed the normal qualifying program, with a single qualifying session determining the gate picks for Sunday’s races. It was difficult to post a good lap in the short time available, and Jeffrey did the best to claim the fourth gate.

A good start in the first race got him in with the leading group. He immediately pushed through to the lead. With controlled riding, he managed to increase his lead throughout the race, and he crossed the line with a comfortable margin on the second-placed rider.

Herlings again slotted into the top five off the gate in race two. The track had by now become treacherous, and the low-setting sun made visibility difficult. This caused him some trouble in getting passed Antonio Cairoli for second position, and by then leader Tim Gajser had already made a gap. Realizing that second position in the race was sufficient for the overall win, Jeffrey kept it safe and secured the victory.

“I didn’t have unrealistic expectations coming here. The first heat went perfectly, but the track was very tricky in the second. The low sun made visibility very difficult, and I was happy with overall victory under the circumstances. Now it’s off to my home GP at Valkenswaard and I’m looking forward to that,” Herlings commented.

Overall Grand Prix of Great Britain:
1 Jeffrey Herlings. 47 Pnt
2 Tim Gajser 38 Pnt
3 Antonio Cairoli 38 Pnt
4 Jeremy Seewer 35 Pnt
5 Mitch Evans 34 Pnt

 

Gallery:

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Herlings signs new KTM MXGP contract

Four-times FIM Motocross World Champion Jeffrey Herlings has signed a new contract with his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team and will remain ‘in orange’ for a further three years until the end of the 2023 MXGP season.

The twenty-five-year-old Dutchman inked his deal on the eve of the British Grand Prix this weekend and the opening round of twenty in the 2020 MXGP series; his fourth in the premier class and eleventh in the FIM World Championship all with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

The association began in 2009 when Herlings was signed to make his MX2 GP debut for the 2010 season as a fifteen-year old. He claimed his first top-three race finish in just his second moto at the Grand Prix of Bulgaria at Sevlievo, celebrated his first podium at Mantova in Italy for round two and then started an incredible seven-year unbeaten streak of wins a few weeks later at his home event at Valkenswaard; scene of his very first 1-1 clean sweep.

Since that initial term in 2010 Herlings has gone on to accumulate 86 Grand Prix victories in two classes and ace titles in 2012, 2013, 2016 (all MX2) and then 2018 (MXGP) with KTM 250 SX-F and KTM 450 SX-F machinery. In that time there have been some astonishing performances – such as the first moto chequered flag in Latvia last summer, taken with a broken foot – and also some tough moments when he conceded likely titles in 2014 and 2015 due to injury. His peerless 2018 MXGP campaign saw #84 own 17 from 19 Grands Prix and classify as runner-up in the other two outings.

Herlings is already the most successful Dutch rider in the history of the sport and is third on the list for all-time Grand Prix triumphs. In 2019 he added the Motocross of Nations Chamberlain trophy to his heaving collection of silverware.

Jeffrey Herlings: “I’m very, very happy. I have been with KTM since 2009 so by the end of this next contract it will be fifteen years together. I’m excited to stay in the orange family and I have been working with Pit [Beirer] and the entire crew since the beginning and I was fourteen. I’m blessed to be able to do it for another three years; four including this one about to start. It is also good to have this done before the weekend and GP1 of 2020. KTM is where my heart is, and they are my family. I’m thankful that they trust in me, and I believe in them, the bike and all the people I work with. I’ll be racing with them until I’m 28 and I’m super-happy, hopefully there many more happy days ahead.”

 

Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “This contract definitely means a lot to me personally because it was back in 2009 that we gave this young kid and his family our word that we’d take good care of him and he had a great future in front of him: we wanted to be a partner in that. We went through so many ups and downs with Jeffrey and he has collected all of his wins and titles with us – just one brand. It was actually quite emotional to know he could spend his career with just one company. I’m really happy that we could agree everything so early for another three years and I wish him a healthy and strong season and hopefully an even longer association with us when he’s stopped racing.”

 

Robert Jonas, Vice President KTM Motorsports Offroad: “Jeffrey’s story with KTM is really special and I think it shows the strong bond we have with him that he wanted to commit to another three years with us. We all know his speed and his ability, and that determination to get the best of himself on the circuit can be almost unmatchable. He is a spectacular athlete to watch and to work with and we’re looking forward to a lot more races together.”

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Jeffrey Herlings Successfully Operated

Jefferey Herlings underwent a successful operation this morning, to remove metal plated from his body. Herlings will not be able to do any motor training for six weeks, but he will be completely encumbrance – and pain free, and will have the full range of motion in his ankle and foot again.

Herlings suffered constant discomfort and pain in his foot during this season.

Herlings will after his recovery commence training for the 2020 season, where the goal is to recapture his world title.

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Jeffrey Herlings takes second consecutive MXGP  win in China

Jeffrey Herlings of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has won the final round of the world championship MXGP in China. The eighteenth and final Grand Prix of 2019 took place in the district south of the city and across a soft and sandy circuit for what was a milestone fixture for the FIM series. 2018 MXGP World Champion Herlings harried Standing Construct KTM’s Glenn Coldenhoff in the first race as the two 450 SX-F riders finished within a second of each other at the flag: Coldenhoff celebrating his fourth moto win from the last four rounds. In the second race Coldenhoff again set the pace but once Herlings had moved into second place he set about chasing his countryman hard in the final five minutes. The Red Bull KTM man had to push to close a three second gap but relegated Coldenhoff with less than two laps remaining to secure his second overall win in a row thanks to his 2-1 scorecard.

After dominating 2018 both Cairoli and Herlings were the victim of injuries this season but still managed to collate 8 podium results between them despite only 12 appearances.

Jeffrey Herlings: “I wanted to finish the year strongly: I owed Red Bull, KTM and all my partners that after the injury. I gave everything I had and I’m very grateful to have won the last two GPs. I’ll race in the sand next week for the final preparation for Assen. Hopefully with Team Holland we can go for the win. Then, next year in MXGP, I want to fight hard to get the title back. I really enjoyed the track here – it was tough to pass in places – but we won the GP and that’s the most important thing.”

Jeffrey Herlings will represent the Netherlands at the annual Motocross of Nations at the TT Circuit Assen in two weeks time.

Overall Grand Prix China:
1 Jeffrey Herlings 47 Pnt
2 Glenn Coldenhoff 47 Pnt
3 Jeremy Seewer 38 Pnt
4 Tim Gajser 38 Pnt
5 Jeremy van Horebeek 30 Pnt

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Jeffrey Herlings Scored Clean Sweep at Turkish GP 

Jeffrey Herlings of the Red Bull KTM Factory team won both heats of the MXGP round of Turkey.  This served to continue Herlings’amazing run of having won a GP every single year since he’s entered the world championship ranks.

“We’re back at the top again,” Herlings commented. “Since 2010 I’ve won a GP every single year. That means ten seasons with KTM and 85 GP victories. It’s been a road of ups and downs, but we’ve come through again and I would like to thank Red Bull KTM and all my sponsors. I was determined to score a double heat victory here, and I found the perfect spot to pass Coldenhoff in the second race. We aim for a podium finish again at the final GP of the season in China.”

After the final GP of the 2019 season in China next weekend, Jeffrey will participate in a  beach race in Loon Plage in France, and then line up for the Dutch team at the Motocross of Nations on home soil in Assen.

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Positive GP Return For Jeffrey Herlings

Jeffrey Herlings of the Red Bull KTM Factory team made a positive return to racing during the Swedish GP at Uddevalla. Herlings won the qualifying heat, and finished fourth in the second heat on Sunday. 

“I had a problem in the first race, and ironically it was that I grabbed the holeshot,” Herlings explained. “On Satuday, I could keep the pace for 20 minutes, but during the longer races on Sunday I developed armpump. For the first race we set the suspension a bit softer than normal because I could not maintain my normal speed. I led for 20 minutes, but could not keep hold of the bike properly afterwards. I also had a small crash and the bike was struck by another rider and sustained damage.  I had to retire from the race, which was a pity, because I could have finished fifth or sixth. “

“I didn’t get the holeshot in race two, which on the day was better for me I’m not comfortable riding at the front yet. I started eighth and worked my way up to fourth. Together with the qualifying win on Saturday I am pretty happy after only two weeks’ training. I want to be at my peak for the race at Assen” (Motocross of Nations), he said. 

Jeffrey will be in action at an ADAC MX Masters event at Bielstein next weekend.

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Herlings to make tentative MXGP comeback in Sweden this weekend

2018 MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings has decided to contest this weekend’s Grand Prix of Sweden at Uddevalla after making a good recovery from a fractured right ankle.

The Dutchman has made sufficient progress to be able to steer his KTM 450 SX-F at pace and return to the premier class for the second time in an injury-hit season. The 24 year old will use the sixteenth round of eighteen to gauge the level of his fitness and readiness and to accumulate valuable race mileage.

Jeffrey Herlings: “Here we go again! I’ve been riding for a couple of weeks now and feel ready to try Uddevalla. As I’ve said, 2019 is only really about the Motocross of Nations for me at Assen next month and by trying the motos in Sweden we are making another step towards that goal. There is no target for this weekend other than to finish the races and find some good feeling on the bike.”

Dirk Gruebel, Team Technical Co-Ordinator & MX2 Team Manager: “It’s good to have Jeffrey riding and racing again but we have no expectations for this weekend. He is still on the way back and has chosen to use Sweden as a good opportunity to make some starts and build his speed against top level opposition. As a team we’ll be ready to give him whatever he needs to be able to race but we know this is just another step towards a full recovery and hopefully a chance to go into post-season testing with a good condition.”

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Jeffrey Herlings Breaks Ankle at Latvian GP

Jeffrey Herlings of the Red Bull KTM team suffered yet another major setback at the Latvian GP. After claiming the pole position during Saturday’s qualifying sessions at Kegums, he crashed on the sighting lap for the first race on Sunday and suffered the misfortune that Armina Jasikonis rode over his ankle.

Despite the searing pain, Herlings decided to start the race. He had to dig deep into his resources and endurance, and won the race, riding though almost unbearable pain. He went to the hospital for a check-up after the race, and there it was determined that he had broken his ankle. He immediately made his way back home for treatment, and his own medical professionals will determine his way back to full fitness,

Despite not starting in the second race, Jeffrey was still credited with sixth overall.

Overall MXGP Latvia:
1 Tim Gajser 40 Pnt
2 Romain Febvre 40 Pnt
3 Arnaud Tonus 40 Pnt
4 Jeremy Seewer 36 Pnt
5 Jeremy van Horebeek 30 Pnt
6 Jeffrey Herlings 25 Pnt

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Postitive Return To GP Racing For Jeffrey Herlings

Jeffrey Herlings of the Red Bull KTM Factory Team made a positive return to GP racing. Herlings finished fourth overall at Orlynok, Russia  with fourth- and seventh place finishes in the two heats of the MXGP class.

The Orlyonok track is extremely treacherous with a concrete-hard underground. It is not Jeffrey’s favourite track, but he decided to go to the event any way to build up race rhythm.  Starting his 2019 GP season in Russia, his qualifying day was not without its challenges. He was laying fourth in the qualifying heat when he crashed hard, and as a consequence he finished only 16th.

Despite, this, Herlings was determined to show some of his old form during Sunday’s races. A good start in the first race got him into the top five. Despite some pressure from other riders, he held his position well and actually moved up to fourth before the flag fell.  In the second race, Jeffrey had a less positive start. He was riding in tenth place for a long while, but with a finishing spurt he got up to seventh.

“I’ve returned from a very serious injury, and that is always difficult to do, mentally as well as physically.  I suffered a lot of pain for a long time,  I honestly did not expect the result we got here today. To be close to the podium feels really good under the circumstances.  I love the track at Latvia that we’re going to next, but again, I’m not going there with any pre-set expectations. I’m not forgetting the long road I’ve had to travel.  If it’s within the realm of possibilities, we’ll fight for a podium finish,”he said.

Jeffrey is off to Kegums next for the Latvian GP next weekend.

Results MXGP Russia:
1 Tim Gajser 50 Pnt
2 Arnaud Tonus 44 Pnt
3 Jeremy Seewer 36 Pnt
4 Jeffrey Herlings 32 Pnt
5 Romain Febvre 32 Pnt

Standings MXGP 2019:
1 Tim Gajser 351 Pnt
2 Antonio Cairoli 338 Pnt
3 Gautier Paulin 231 Pnt
4 Jeremy Seewer 220 Pnt
5 Arminas Jasikonis 212 Pnt
24 Jeffrey Herlings 32 Pnt

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Herlings rounds off 2018 with Imola win

MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings ended a dominant 2018 campaign with his 17th victory of the year at Imola for the Grand Prix of Italy and the 84th of his career. MXGP made a third visit to Italy this year as the famous ‘Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari’ in Imola staged the FIM Motocross World Championship for the first time. A hard-packed, compact and jumpy course lay over the final section of the asphalt track provided a mix of bumps, ruts and generous air time for the riders of the MXGP and MX2 classes. Late afternoon sunshine complicated some of the visibility but also warmed a packed attendance at the facility located in the town’s ‘park’ to see the MXGP project and who were able to witness the sixteenth ‘double’ by Red Bull KTM in 2018.

Jeffrey Herlings’ assault on the statistics of 2018 continued at Imola. On Saturday the new world champion topped every session and ran to a thirteenth Qualification Heat victory. The Dutchman had maintained his strict training schedule since his title spoils at Assen two weeks previously. He overtook Tim Gajser and sprinted clear in the first moto on Sunday and offered a repeat showing of his superiority in the second.

Herlings has now reached a staggering 84 career wins just after his 23rd birthday and has won the last eight in a row with his works KTM 450 SX-F. He has claimed 17 of the 20 rounds in 2018, gracing every MXGP podium apart from the one event he missed (the Grand Prix of Lombardia at Ottobiano in the wake of collarbone surgery). Herlings has totalled 33 moto wins from a possible 38 and went 1-1 in 15 of his 17 triumphs.

Herlings: “A great way to finish the year. It has been a great experience, a great year and great memories. I especially want to thank my team. If you look to the statistics then it has been pretty unbelievable and almost an indescribable year. It will be hard to accomplish again I think. My goal now is to go 1-1 at the Nations. That would be the cherry on the cake and is the next thing on the wish list. We’ll see!”

Results MXGP Imola 2018
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED) KTM (1-1)
2. Tim Gajser (SLO) Honda (2-2)
3. Clement Desalle (BEL) Kawasaki (3-3)
4. Julien Lieber (BEL) Kawasaki (5-4)
5. Gautier Paulin (FRA), Husqvarna (4-6) 

Standings MXGP 2018 after 20 of 20 rounds
1. Jeffrey Herlings, 933 points
2. Tony Cairoli, 782
3. Clement Desalle, 685
4. Tim Gajser, 669
5. Gautier Paulin, 574

 

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