PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ARCHER
When Jeffrey Herlings had to withdraw from last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix to have his injured shoulder examined, his hopes of a perfect season were ended. Now that the news is that he broke his shoulder blade in his qualifying crash last weekend at Bastogne, his season has altogether ended.
The news came from two different specialists, including the renowned expert Dr. Toon Claes, and their verdicts were – five to six weeks before being able to ride or train on the bike. This means he will not only miss the remaining two Motocross Grands Prix at Matterley Basin and Lierop, but also the Motocross of Nations in Germany at the end of September.
This not only comes to a disappointment for Herlings and the Netherlands team, but also for the motocross world in general who were looking forward to a Herlings and Eli Tomac showdown in the 250 class.
Before his injury, Herlings was having a spectacular season winning all 13 GPs and only losing two motos. An impressive feat that earned him the championship title early at the previous round in the Czech Republic. Now Herlings will be focused on recovering from his injury and preparing for his assault on the 2014 title.
