Jeffrey Herlings - MX Large Opinion

 

There is no doubt, the injury to World motocross champion Jeffrey Herlings has been something not a single motocross fans wants to see. Herlings is without question the fastest man on the planet, and it doesn’t matter if he says it, or a rival competitor says it, it is just the facts.

Winning record to compare to the greats of the sport like Ricky Carmichael, Stefan Everts, Jeremy McGrath or Antonio Cairoli. At 24 years of age, he has 84 GP wins, and four World motocross championships. He is already a great of our sport, and if he ended his career tomorrow, it has been one of the best ever. But, we want more, we want to see him pass Everts 101 GP wins, we want to see him pass DeCoster, Robert, Smets, Geboers and Jobe in the all-time list. Heck, as hard as it seems now, if he can catch and pass Everts, Cairoli and Carmichael for championship victories, that wouldn’t be a bad thing for the sport either, but at the moment, it is all a question mark.

The Flying Dutchman hasn’t really spoken to the media yet, he has thrown out the odd comment, and yesterday we got the biggest comments from major Dutch television company NOS. In those comments he mentioned that racing the AMA Nationals was a possibility.

Now, it seems clear his injury means he won’t be very well prepared come May 18 when the AMA Nationals starts. Racing the AMA Nationals on a full-time basis hasn’t really been on his hit list, and I still think he isn’t that keen on going and living in America.

Here is a guy, who is as Dutch as they come. He comes from a very family orientated part of Holland called Brabant, and as a young journalist, it was the first place I set feet when I moved to Europe. My ex-wife is from Brabant, my four children are born there, and I know the attitude of that area.

Jeffrey is also the last guy to arrive to a Grand Prix and the first to leave. He loves being home, he probably still loves his mums home cooking, and loves spending time with his friends. He isn’t interested in travel, just riding his dirt bike, and putting in the effort to be the best prepared he can be. I think the American life-style would be something that would irritate him.

His goals have always been to break records in Europe, get that 101 GP wins of Everts, more World motocross championships, and set his name in stone in the sport. As mentioned, he is already a legend of the sport, his AMA National victory in 2017, when he swept the best American based riders aside and won at Ironman is something no GP rider has done, at least not on their debut and not in that fashion.

He has been the stand-out rider in the last three MXoN, going 1-2-1-2-1-2, not just a little better than anyone else, but a lot better. It didn’t matter that Jason Anderson, Max Anstie or Glenn Coldenhoff beat him in a moto, he has been the stand-out guy.

But now, we again hear the talk of America. I spoke to his mechanic and team manager in Argentina, just a quick chat about all the American talk, both felt it unlikely he would go. I have to agree with them. I think at the end of the day, what does Jeffrey Herlings have to win by taking an AMA National championship? He has already beaten those guys time and time again in the last three years. His goals are in Europe, and even if he was to return in May, he then has probably 15 chances to win a GP, hell, he can still pass Cairoli and move into second place in the all-time GP winners list.

Winning in America isn’t like it was 10 or 20 years ago. It isn’t like he would be going there for a bigger challenge, because it’s been proven the last five or six years that the MXGP riders are the best in the World, so what is the point of winning a series that isn’t even rated above the one he is already racing?

Not to mention, he still won't be going to America with a great off-season, he won't have ridden a bike for two or three months, and while supercross isn't motocross, guys like Tomac, Roczen and Musquin will have all had way better preperation than the Dutchman. Major injury could be around the corner going there with a goal of a championship with terrible preperation.

Would it be cool if he races in USA for a full season, 100%? Would I love it, probably, but as a fan, as a supporter of the MXGP championship, I want to see him race the MXGP championship. I want to see him win another 10 or so GPs. I want him to go into 2020 with the chance of winning his fifth World title, and pass Everts 101 GP wins. 

History is something that interests Herlings, and while an AMA number one plate in his house might look good, a year away from MXGP might hurt him. The speed isn’t the same in USA, we have seen that at Redbud. A year racing against lesser competition might give guys like Cairoli, Gajser and Febvre that edge they need to run with him in 2020.

So, I, as an experience media guy in Europe and a guy who has lived in Holland for 25 years, actually a year longer than Jeffrey, I don’t think we will see Herlings race in America in 2019. He might think about it, but Jeffrey Herlings is 100% European, and his heart is in Europe, not in America. His goals are in MXGP, not in AMA Nationals.

At the end of the day, I hope Herlings makes a decision that will help him get over this horrible foot injury. As a media guy who gets to speak to him most weeks, I hope whatever happens he arrives back at a motocross track, and can feel the wind of victory again. His work ethic deserves that, and for us, the fans, we look forward to that moment again.

Dutch video here on Herlings, obviously in Dutch, but good to see the champ on a video even if its while he is injured (video)

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