HERLINGS – A WINNER AGAIN

Red Bull KTM factory rider, Jeffrey Herlings is a winner again and after yet another long period of recovery from injury. The five-time World motocross champion and one of the legends of the sport scored Grand Prix win number 108 in Germany last weekend and all of a sudden, he might be the favourite to win in Latvia this coming weekend.

Herlings knows first hand how many injuries he has had and understands that while his body lets him down a lot, his determination, mental strength and talent will get him a long way, even at the age of 30 years old.

“I have come off so many injuries,” Herlings said. “Uncountable, so I have had a lot of highs and lows in my career. The talent you are born with, but so many injuries and I feel it when I wake up in the morning and I feel like (he made a cracking sound). With the talent, you are born with that, that doesn’t go, and you just have to put in the hard work and be competitive again. As you could see, it took me two months to be competitive again. It feels good to be back, number 108. There are a couple of guys coming, so I need to get the number as high as possible, so when I retire, it will stay there for a while.”

The road to victory number 108 was a long one, with Herlings racing long before he really should have been and taking a lot of negative energy from fans and media, asking if he would ever be back to the top of a Grand Prix podium. Well, in Germany, he proved any doubters wrong.

“When I started in Sardinia, I just thought I go there for practice, but then I went home, got jumped on by another rider and I was injured again. I just thought, I go ride with the good guys and whatever I get, I get and just work from there. I knew I wasn’t going to be competitive, but I never doubted, I could still win. I knew it would take a while. I remember when Tim came back in 2023, and it took him a couple of races, and I remember him finishing in 15th in Lommel when he came back and then around fifth or 10th in Loket. It is normal and he had like probably some good prep. Lucas is very young and he didn’t have so many injuries, luckily, but Romain knows, when you come back from injuries, it takes some time. I just got thrown into the deep end with no time to prepare. If you get hurt in July and start riding in November, you have time to prepare, but I didn’t come prepared at all. It is what it is, and I just try and get as many podium or wins. The year is halfway through, and I don’t want to interfere with their championship. I am here to do my thing.”

Now, as he heads to Latvia this weekend, on a circuit he has had a lot of success, but also injuries, everyone in the sport will be willing him on for another victory. Although a World championship is out of the question in 2025, more wins, more confidence and celebrations will be ahead of this legendary racer, who just never gives up.

Photo credit: KTM