A big chat with Jeffrey Herlings
Mar 26th, 2018 · 7 min read
Jeffrey Herlings was candid in our post-race interview yesterday and allowed fans a bit of insight into a variety of different topics. New parts, a niggling injury and more topics are discussed below. It is remarkable just how open the man who most label as the fastest rider in the world is when discussing his current programme. This interview was originally posted as a podcast.
MX Vice: Two-two on the day, which obviously is not what you have become used to this year. But, all things considered, a tough track to pass and one-lined. You had to come from mid-pack again. It was a good day.
Jeffrey Herlings: Actually the second one I had a good start, but then I went down in the first lap and then I came from twentieth or something. To still fight my way back to second and into the rear wheel of the winner, Tony, I think that was a good and impressive ride. We are winners and we want to win. Next week I have got another chance at the Dutch round and in two weeks I got another chance against the 222. It is going to be his home race so he is going to really want to win there, but so do I. We are going to just do our best. We'll see how it goes.
Herlings made eleven passes across the two MXGP motos (KTM Images/Ray Archer)
When I walked the track on Friday, the first thing I thought was that if you got a bad start it would be tough to come through the pack here. I was actually surprised you did as well as you did. Was that in your mind even before the races began?
Yeah. Yesterday I did not have a good start, but on Saturday I'm like as long as I have a decent gate pick, I don't want to take risks. I don't want to get in trouble. I just want to do my own thing. If I am third, fifth or seventh, does not really matter to me. But on Sunday, when it is time to go, it is go time. Then I knew if I would have been up there, I would not have had a problem. First moto I did not have a good start, but then still made it to second place. I was like, okay, I am satisfied with this. All about second moto.
Then in the second moto I did have a good – not a great – but a decent start. I put myself in a good position. I was fourth. I was like, "okay, it is going to be all-out war now" and when I thought that I was already on the deck. So I was like, "oh shit – that was not in the plan." We keep working and we keep improving. The team is doing a great job. They are working hard. The only thing we need to work on is the start. Furthermore it is great.
The first moto, I know the team told you this, but sector one was your biggest problem and you were losing a lot of time there. Do you know why? You actually fixed it for the second race, because I think you had the fastest time of the race on that part of the track.
I do not know where I lost it. Many times I went next to the pit lane outside and then got off, then basically that was not maybe the fastest line, so maybe I lost a bit there. Average I lost like half a second to almost a second in the first sector. I cannot do everything great.
Herlings is now tied on points with Cairoli in the series standings (KTM Images/Ray Archer)
It was only a small section as well, like three or four turns, so I was surprised that you were losing that much time. Even I was trying to watch and I could not figure out where you could make that up. I guess situations like that are quite difficult?
Yeah, but when you are racing you maybe make a wrong line somewhere. You are so focused on the racing yourself and you do not see what you are doing wrong. After you watch back the race like, "was I so dumb to ride there instead of all the other guys riding there?" Probably when I watch myself on TV tomorrow I’ll think, I made some mistakes here and there.
That was actually going to be my next question. In-between motos, do you have someone filming you? Do you watch lines and replays or do you not get to see that stuff until tomorrow?
We have one guy on the team filming some stuff, but definitely is not filming everything. I do not really have time between motos to watch back the full race, because you have to eat and stuff like that and prepare. So, like I said, we have one guy walking around the team filming some stuff, but not everything.
Last week I was surprised how relaxed and casual you were about your starts. This week in the press conference I heard you use the word "problem" though. So, are we starting to panic about those a little bit? Do you have any idea what to fix it? I heard you mention something about parts, maybe?
Yeah. It is not going to be proven it is going to be better, but it should be better. It was already tested on the dyno that it should be better. So, our bike is good for the start. Maybe it was just this weekend that I was off because at Valkenswaard I took some good starts. Same as Argentina and in the pre-season races. So, maybe I was just off this weekend? If we have something that works maybe a little bit better, yeah, it is very welcome. So I’m not trying to panic, but we are always searching to become better and fight against the competition.
RedSand was the first Grand Prix that he has lost since Sweden last year (KTM Images/Ray Archer)
Watching you out of the gate, I do not think it is your initial jump is the problem. Coming right out of the gate you were alongside Tony. It seems to be in the centimetres right after the gate that you are losing drive or something and then you just get swallowed up.
Yeah, I was next to Tony but he is very light. I do not know exactly but around ten kilograms less. So, with that weight being less, that is a big advantage towards him. If you would go running with a stone of ten kilo in the backpack, you would also feel like this is much more heavy. That is the same for the bike. For the start, it is a disadvantage for me and an advantage for him.
You practiced here in the winter. What did you think about it as a racetrack? Better? Do you think we should come back? Are there changes that they could make?
I think the track is actually really good, one of the best on the calendar. They should not make it that flat, because they do a lot of preparation on the track, which actually is good but at the same time to make difference and to get different lines, it is not that good. I think in the future they should basically leave the track like it is, rough and tough, maybe a bit sketchy here and there but at least you can make differences to other riders.
Herlings recorded the quickest lap times in both MXGP motos (KTM Images/Ray Archer)
Two weeks until Trentino. Is anything going to change? Are you just going to keep grinding with the same programme? Happy with where you are at?
Yeah, actually I am. I had a slight injury from Valkenswaard on my knee, so I have not ridden this week, but that is basically healed. Still feel it a bit, but not that bad. We have not rode this week, but going into next week we start riding again and get through the hard-pack tracks. Hopefully the weather is going to be a bit better in Holland and work from there.
I was going to let you go, but you just mentioned a knee injury and I cannot do that. What was that? How did it happen? What is the problem?
You saw my crash in the qualifying race, right? Then I basically did a 180 but I did a 180 with my leg on the ground. Just those kind of muscles, something in the knee got stretched a bit. A thing where rest for a few days and then it is basically fine. Then the day after I was like, it hurt so bad, but already on Thursday I was like, "no, it is pretty good." Now it is already basically over. Just got stretched a bit, the bands or whatever it is called. It is fine now. It is good.
Interview: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: KTM Images/Ray Archer