Red Bull KTM will be without FIM MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings for this week’s trip to Patagonia. The 24 year old is still recovering from complex surgery on his right foot due to a training accident in Spain in January. Herlings is set for a check-up on March 11th to change from a full cast to a lighter support and to evaluate the healing process.
The Dutchman claimed the 2018 opening event of the FIM World Championship in Argentina in spectacular fashion. The win was the first of 17 victories from 19 appearances in what was one of the most dominant and impressive title campaigns in the modern era of the sport.
Jeffrey Herlings: “I cannot really feel too much with my foot because of the cast but it seems to be progressing well after the operation and I’m looking forward to having some of the pins removed in a couple of weeks when I can also change the cast. It’s a pity to miss Argentina. I think last year was one of the best races of the season. It’s also one of my favourite tracks: wide, fast and sandy. It’s a big shame that we won’t be there but it is what it is.”
Joel Smets, KTM Motocross Sport Director: “Jeffrey’s injury is not as ‘simple’ as a collarbone or another part of the body. It’s quite tricky actually and it is something that we will have to monitor and look at the rehabilitation. Obviously a rider’s foot comes under a lot of punishment in motocross with the many jumps and bumps. So we are being careful and will hopefully have a better idea in the coming weeks of how his recovery is going. Of course we will miss him in Argentina but the rest of the crew with Tony, Jorge and Tom means Red Bull KTM will still be ready to go for the kind of results Jeffrey would be shooting for.”
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photos (c) Ray Archer