Just eight weeks after suffering a broken femur, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings has been cleared by his doctors to race in the final round of the MX2 World Championship in Leon, Mexico this weekend, according to Pit Beirer, the head of KTM Motorsport.
Herlings, who suffered a broken femur two months ago, holds a 23-point lead in the MX2 World Championship over his teammate Jordi Tixier heading into this week’s final round in Mexico.
Prior to the injury, Herlings won 12 of the first 13 rounds of the championship with 22 moto wins. Then he suffered the broken femur on July 20 at Stefan Everts’ charity race in Belgium that forced him to miss the last three rounds.
“We’re cautiously pleased that Jeffrey’s doctors have cleared him to race in Mexico, even though it will be difficult for him after some weeks of healing the fracture,” Beirer said. “Of course he lacks race practice and doesn’t have the same level of fitness he had before his accident, but we feel he deserves to have a fighting chance to wrap up the title.”
Herlings and Tixier are the only two with a mathematical chance to take the title. Husqvarna’s Romain Febvre is currently in third but is 60 points behind the leader with just 50 points up for grabs this weekend in Mexico.
Beirer also said KTM and the factory team was very grateful to the rehabilitation experts Ortema who went out of their way to provide Herlings with some additional protection for his leg.
“They [Ortema] made a special trip to Jeffrey’s home in the evening this week to take a sample cast of his leg,” Beirer said. “Then they worked all night to make him a special carbon knee brace.? It was a great gesture and one that we appreciate very much. Without this kind of professional dedication and willingness to help us in a difficult situation, Jeffrey would not have this opportunity.”
Beirer underlined that behind the campaign to ensure Jeffrey is fit and well enough to ride in Mexico has also been a team of doctors, physiotherapists and medical staff that have put in an extraordinary effort.
“Jeffrey’s own determination to make it happen, and the expertise of these medical specialists and their staff have together played a decisive role in getting him back on the track,” he said.
If Herlings scores two more points than Tixier in the first moto in Mexico, he will take the title. If Tixier wins both motos, Herlings would have to finish in the top seven in both motos.
