5 Minutes with...Jeff Herlings
March 19, 2010, 3:11pm
Ask anyone about 15-year-old Jeffrey Herlings and pretty much everyone will tell you he is special. Around twelve months ago Pit Beirer and Stefan Everts had a conversation after watching the kid from Holland and decided they needed to sign him.
Now, twelve months later, Herlings is just two weeks away from his first Grand Prix. While the pressure cooker of World Motocross Championship battle might make older riders nervous the teenager is looking forward to just having some fun. We decided to sit down with Herlings and ask him about his preseason to date and what he expects in Bulgaria in two weeks time.
Jeffrey Herlings: I am doing good, thanks.
Can you tell me a little about your offseason and preseason to date?
Well, it’s had some up and downs. We had some problems at the end of last year when I hurt my lung; it was broken and I was out and couldn’t ride for five or six week. I started riding again at the end of January, start of February. Since then we didn’t do much training because the races had already started and the first race was in Valence.
How was Valence and your other preseason races?
It [Valence] didn’t go that good or that bad, we were fifth or sixth or something. We tried to ride as much as we could and then we had the French Championship, which went really good. I got second, which was good. Last weekend I had a round of the Dutch Championship and I finished in third place, which wasn’t good at all. I am just trying to ride as much as possible because I am just riding for four and a half months. The Grand Prix is coming up in two weeks, so we try and ride as much as possible.
So where are you as far as being ready?
Well, you know I am getting better and better. I think I am like 75 percent or 80 percent now. It should be possible to add another two seconds or something. We're just trying our best and I know there is more and we just need to keep working hard and improve.
I guess you have ridden in Bulgaria before in the European Championship, right?
I raced on the 85cc; it’s a really nice track, one of the best tracks in Europe, I guess. It is really hard and for Dutch guys it’s pretty difficult because it is so hard pack. I am training in France a lot and trying to get ready. I really enjoy riding that track, it’s really nice and has big jumps, down hills and uphills. I really like it.
Being on the Red Bull KTM factory team, that is a pretty good team with a lot of good riders.
You know it’s good; I don’t have too much contact with Tony [Cairoli] or Musquin. It’s just Shaun [Simpson], Max [Nagl] and me in Belgium. Rui [Goncalves] is out, so I haven’t seen him. Tony and Musquin are doing their own thing, but for me I am working with Stefan [Everts] a lot, because he is team manager. I try to learn as much from him as possible. He is a ten-time World Champion, so I try and learn all I can. Everything he says I try and do and I know everything he says will make me faster and better.
I learned a lot being on the team. The bikes are much better than last year, they are faster, the suspension is better, organization is better. It also brings some pressure, and everyone has their eyes on you because they know you are in the best team, and everyone is looking at Simpson and Musquin because they are going for the World title, but they are also looking at me, so I need to give a good presentation. This year I just try and have a good year and see.
Obviously Ken Roczen and yourself have raced together and been rivals in the European Championships. Does it motivate you to see him doing what he is doing?
I don’t know, many people ask this question, just as you have done, and that is expected. He’s Roczen and I am Herlings and we are two different people. For sure I get more motivated seeing him ride, because in my eyes he is going to be the 2010 World Champion. He is so fast and so smooth, he never makes mistakes or anything. I don’t think I can stay with him just yet. He won a few motos last year and he’s the man to beat at the moment for this year. I like to watch him and I know watching him makes me go faster. He has the perfect lines and his style is just great. I don’t think I can run with him yet, he is better now, but I am working on being better than him, but I will take my time and I have one of the best teams behind me. I just need to improve.
Last question: What do you expect from your first Grand Prix in Bulgaria?
Well, you know it’s my first Grand Prix. I’ve raced a few good riders already, like in Valence--it was like a mini GP. I'll just go there to have fun and get a top eight or something. Maybe in Mantova and Valkenswaard I can do a little better as it’s more like home soil.
Now, twelve months later, Herlings is just two weeks away from his first Grand Prix. While the pressure cooker of World Motocross Championship battle might make older riders nervous the teenager is looking forward to just having some fun. We decided to sit down with Herlings and ask him about his preseason to date and what he expects in Bulgaria in two weeks time.
Jeffrey Herlings: I am doing good, thanks.
Can you tell me a little about your offseason and preseason to date?
Well, it’s had some up and downs. We had some problems at the end of last year when I hurt my lung; it was broken and I was out and couldn’t ride for five or six week. I started riding again at the end of January, start of February. Since then we didn’t do much training because the races had already started and the first race was in Valence.
How was Valence and your other preseason races?
It [Valence] didn’t go that good or that bad, we were fifth or sixth or something. We tried to ride as much as we could and then we had the French Championship, which went really good. I got second, which was good. Last weekend I had a round of the Dutch Championship and I finished in third place, which wasn’t good at all. I am just trying to ride as much as possible because I am just riding for four and a half months. The Grand Prix is coming up in two weeks, so we try and ride as much as possible.
So where are you as far as being ready?
Well, you know I am getting better and better. I think I am like 75 percent or 80 percent now. It should be possible to add another two seconds or something. We're just trying our best and I know there is more and we just need to keep working hard and improve.
I guess you have ridden in Bulgaria before in the European Championship, right?
I raced on the 85cc; it’s a really nice track, one of the best tracks in Europe, I guess. It is really hard and for Dutch guys it’s pretty difficult because it is so hard pack. I am training in France a lot and trying to get ready. I really enjoy riding that track, it’s really nice and has big jumps, down hills and uphills. I really like it.
Being on the Red Bull KTM factory team, that is a pretty good team with a lot of good riders.
You know it’s good; I don’t have too much contact with Tony [Cairoli] or Musquin. It’s just Shaun [Simpson], Max [Nagl] and me in Belgium. Rui [Goncalves] is out, so I haven’t seen him. Tony and Musquin are doing their own thing, but for me I am working with Stefan [Everts] a lot, because he is team manager. I try to learn as much from him as possible. He is a ten-time World Champion, so I try and learn all I can. Everything he says I try and do and I know everything he says will make me faster and better.
I learned a lot being on the team. The bikes are much better than last year, they are faster, the suspension is better, organization is better. It also brings some pressure, and everyone has their eyes on you because they know you are in the best team, and everyone is looking at Simpson and Musquin because they are going for the World title, but they are also looking at me, so I need to give a good presentation. This year I just try and have a good year and see.
Obviously Ken Roczen and yourself have raced together and been rivals in the European Championships. Does it motivate you to see him doing what he is doing?
I don’t know, many people ask this question, just as you have done, and that is expected. He’s Roczen and I am Herlings and we are two different people. For sure I get more motivated seeing him ride, because in my eyes he is going to be the 2010 World Champion. He is so fast and so smooth, he never makes mistakes or anything. I don’t think I can stay with him just yet. He won a few motos last year and he’s the man to beat at the moment for this year. I like to watch him and I know watching him makes me go faster. He has the perfect lines and his style is just great. I don’t think I can run with him yet, he is better now, but I am working on being better than him, but I will take my time and I have one of the best teams behind me. I just need to improve.
Last question: What do you expect from your first Grand Prix in Bulgaria?
Well, you know it’s my first Grand Prix. I’ve raced a few good riders already, like in Valence--it was like a mini GP. I'll just go there to have fun and get a top eight or something. Maybe in Mantova and Valkenswaard I can do a little better as it’s more like home soil.
