Jeffrey Herlings_Winner

Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings showed why he is considered the best sand rider in the world last weekend in Lommel, going 1-1-1- for the Saturday and Sunday, and adding that sand victory to his sand win in Latvia a couple of months ago.

Due to sickness, he couldn’t score a win in Ottobiano, but you can be sure he will be looking to take another sand victory in Assen in a month time.

With his older and more experienced team-mate Antonio Cairoli leading the MXGP points it is now down to personal pride for GP victories and Herlings knew winning in Lommel was important.

“I mean a lot of people are saying I am the fastest guy in the sand,” Herlings said. “And a lot of people also say that about Cairoli, so he also wanted to prove a point. But this weekend I beat him in three races, passed him in all of them, so no excuses for that one. In Italy (Ottobiano) I had bad luck, I was sick all weekend. Saturday in Italy I broke a wheel and Sunday in Italy I was really sick, I don’t like excuses, and he beat me there. He also wins the championship, so he wins the big thing."

Having spent a big part of his life practicing around the Lommel circuit was a big advantage for the Dutchman, and he knew his sand experience would help him out in the end.

“It was important to win for me, because we messed up a bit in Ottobiano, and he got the better of me and I won here in Lommel, so it feels great. I guess it’s like my home track, so an advantage for me. I won Saturday, won both races on Sunday and a good start in the second moto, which is also good for my confidence. The season is done in six weeks and I am second in the championships. It would be great if we can finish one and two for KTM in the points standings.”

Both Cairoli and Herlings fought hard last weekend, with some tactics from both to unsettle the other. In the end Herlings came out on top of the mind games.

“I like it when we play cat and mouse and I have studied Tony for a long time and I know he wouldn’t clean me out. We are both smart enough to not do anything stupid. We didn’t do it at high speed. I am happy I got the better of him this weekend. In seven days, we are at another Grand Prix and we start again.”

So now onto Switzerland, where once again the eight times world champion will go up against the three times world champion. Will it be Cairoli or Herlings in Switzerland?

Author:

Geoff Meyer