MXGP INSIDER #24: HERLINGS IS OUT AGAIN

Transmoto’s weekly web-exclusive column, the MXGP Insider, penned by David Bulmer, presented by KTM Australia. 

I wasn’t actually able to attend the Czech GP this weekend as I was best man at a friends wedding (I did ask my friend to change the date due to the clash, but he his wife said no), however on Saturday afternoon I received an email from a work colleague saying how the paddock must be going crazy after “what happened to Herlings.” Immediately my heart sank because I just knew this wasn’t another minor crash, this was a big deal and so it turned out that he dislocated his hip. By now you’ve probably seen the Facebook update from Herlings himself and much like him personally, you’ll either appreciate the brutal honestly and candour, or you’re think he’s a rude, arrogant pr**k. Obviously it was written by someone in a lot of pain, both physically and mentally after suffering a massive blow on top of what has already been such a tough year. The realisation that another championship has slipped through his fingers coupled with the fact that this is another serious injury that will not only stop him from moving into MXGP next year, but also potentially hamper his career in the long run can’t have been easy news to deal with so I can completely understand his anger towards the situation.
Of course this has completely thrown open the MX2 championship to five guys. Tim Gajser and Valentin Guillod are now tied in points in “second” place with Pauls Jonass 10pts behind them, followed by Jordi Tixier and Jeremy Seewer who are 30 and 31pts off the “lead” respectively. Unfortunately Max Anstie’s DNF in the second race in the Czech Rep really hurt his chances and he is 62pts off the pace with 10 motos remaining.
Honestly though, this class has been so inconsistent that anything could happen and it wouldn’t surprise me if at least three of those riders have a goose egg before the end of the season. The only rider who has any experience at the top of the championship is Jordi Tixier and he’s already suffered five races with zero points. That includes his suspension from Argentina which is a decision now that is having major implications on the title race as he’d surely be leading if it wasn’t for that. It’s going to be a crazy end to an already crazy year and one that is impossible to predict.

Speaking of impossible to predict, the ending to the Women’s World Championship definitely ranks up there as weirdest endings to a season as Livia Lancelot’s bike died on the sighting lap of the last race of the year, forcing her to watch on from the sidelines as Kiara Fontanesi cruised to victory. Lancelot was actually two points ahead going into the final round and then got a second place finish in the first moto to Fontanesi’s third so was four points clear and looking like the favourite when disaster struck. This means it is now four WMX championship titles in a row for Fontanesi as she goes into the record books.

Lastly, MXGP have just posted in their Instagram feed saying that Ryan Villopoto will be in attendance at the Lommel GP in their studio show. I knew he had a DC Shoes promo in Eindhoven (although that was meant to be with Herlings) but this is a little bit surprising. I highly doubt he’ll venture too much into the public domain but it is nice of his to come back, even if only for one weekend. All I’d been seeing on his Instagram was fishing shots so I figured that was that for the multi-time champ.