Jeffrey Herlings Suffers Broken Leg

Paul Carruthers | July 21, 2014

Runaway MX2 World Championship points leader Jeffrey Herlings suffered a broken femur during a crash at the Everts and Friends Charity race in Genk, Beglium, yesterday.

Herlings was competing in an 85cc race at the annual charity event hosted by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX2 team manager and 10-time World Champion Stefan Everts.

Herlings underwent surgery today at the Zol Hospital in Genk with Dr. Driessen inserting a pin to the fracture in his left leg. Herlings is expected to be in the hospital for three days.

“Jeffery is young and very fit and while we are all sorry that he has had this bad luck,” said Pit Beierer, the head of KTM Motorsports. “We’re confident that he will come back and be as strong as he has already shown us he can be. We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to having him back on the bike when he is fit and well.”

Prior to the injury, Herlings looked certain to wrap up his third MX2 World Championship at the next round in Loket, Czech Republic this weekend. He needed to pick up just five more points than his factory teammate Jordi Tixier in the upcoming round to secure the title.

The Dutch teenager has won every GP except one so far held in the 2014 season, but did not compete in Brazil because of a shoulder injury.

Paul Carruthers | Editor

Paul Carruthers took over as the editor of Cycle News in 1993 after serving as associate editor since starting his career at the publication in 1985. Carruthers has covered every facet of the sport in his near-28-year tenure at America’s Daily Motorcycle News Source.