Jeffrey Herlings is ready to fight through the pain barrier this weekend at the MXGP of Trentino.
Having hurt his ribs following a nasty crash in practice in Sardinia last weekend, the Red Bull KTM star valiantly pushed on, with the help of some painkillers, to claim an impressive third overall by virtue of his 3-3 moto finishes.
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Despite his ailment, it was nothing short of impressive how he attacked the demanding Riola Sardo circuit with great intensity and speed, with his second moto especially notable, where he was right up there with runaway winner Jorge Prado before a frustrating fall.
“I had a massive one on Saturday morning and had the wind knocked out of me, which didn’t help. I had an issue with my ribs all weekend then and the track was so bumpy. No excuses, but it meant the GP was a struggle. The second moto was the first time this season I had the pace to go with Jorge until the crash,” Herlings reflected.
“Overall, this was a step forward. I’m not as fast as the other guys yet, but I’m much closer than I was in Argentina and closer again than I was in Spain. I’ll keep growing. It’s a long season and a lot more motos to go. I’m happy to be back on the podium for now.”
Making steady improvements with every passing week and fresh from claiming his first overall podium of the campaign last time out, the next item on his agenda will be propelling himself to the top step, which will be a massive ask at this stop on the calendar given the circumstances.
Set to reign supreme sooner rather than later in his latest quest for glory, it’ll be fascinating following the progress of the #84, who currently sits third in the standings, a hefty 49 back on leader Prado and 32 off Tim Gajser, as he’ll be desperate to start chipping away at the Spaniard’s advantage.
Ready for the challenge ahead at Arco even though he’s not in peak condition, it’d still take a brave man to write off the fiercely competitive Dutchman, for he’s no stranger to riding injured and enduring the suffering that awaits him at Trentino.
Lead Image: Red Bull KTM/Ray Archer
