Last weekend in Lommel, Belgium the Dutchman showed why many people are calling him the fastest sand rider in the World. Going 1-1 with internal injuries, around a circuit as rough as Lommel really deserves some big time credit and no doubt everyone who attended the Grand Prix of Limburg feels happy for the sandman.

Rather amazingly Herlings now stands in fifth place in the all time GP winners list for Dutch riders. First is Dave Strijbos with 27 GP wins, and then comes Kees Van Der Ven with 18, Gerrit Wolsink with 13, John Van Den Berk 9, Pedro Tragter 7 and Herlings 6 (along with Gerard Rond and Gert Jan Van Doorn).

We caught up with Herlings soon after his win and asked him about the injury and also about his possible venture to Southwick in America, to hand the American riders some serious competition.

MXlarge: Jeffrey, can you explain how you felt coming into Lommel? How bad was the pain from your accident?

Herlings: First I thought it would be over in a few days, then we came to Thursday I couldn’t ride, then it was big panic, going to the doctor, Friday I went to the doctor like four or five times. I had already been to the doctor earlier in the week. I tried to ride on Thursday but I couldn’t because I had a lot of pain, then Saturday morning I woke up and I still had a lot of pain, I thought it’s not going to be my Grand Prix. Anyway I started riding and it got slowly better and better and I could eventually win the Grand Prix.

MXlarge: Where did it hurt?

Herlings: I had pain around my back, just under my arms, but also my ribs, when I took a big knock I could feel it in my ribs really bad. Obviously the first and second motos were good. I took a lot of pain killers.

MXLarge: Can you explain how that first moto went? You looked a little smoother than Ken before he made his mistake.

Herlings: He was riding a little over the limit in the first moto and we passed each other in every lap, the last lap he was leading and I was right on his back wheel and I was waiting for a place to pass him, but then he made a big mistake and crashed, that was a shame because I wanted to fight until the finish. In the second moto I think I was the fastest.

MXlarge: Did you see the crash?

Herlings: He went over the bars and crashed on his face and shoulder, it happened like two metres in front of me, and I saw it like a flash, because I was on the inside trying to make a pass, anyway, he is okay and doesn’t have any pain, so I am happy about that.

MXlarge: Is winning a Grand Prix injured more rewarding than winning fit?

Herlings: I really didn’t expect it. When I rode in Valkenswaard and in my other Grand Prix’s I was healthy and this race I came in and didn’t have any expectations, so it’s been a good weekend. I didn’t ride the way I know I can, if I didn’t have any pain I would have ridden much better and smoother.

MXlarge: You mentioned (in Motocross Illustrated magazine www.motocrossillustrated.com) you wanted to race Southwick, will you still try and do that with your injury?

Herlings: I will speak to Stefan about Southwick today; he said we could speak after Lommel.

MXlarge: How about Loket this coming weekend, what do you expect from that circuit?

Herlings: I don’t know, I had a big crash there last year and I just want to go there and do my best. It’s going to be difficult to stay with Ken, but I also thought that going into this weekend, so maybe I can do the same in Loket.

MXlarge: How many GP’s have you won now? Are you looking at breaking some records and trying to get the most for Dutch riders?

Herlings: I won two last year and four this year, so I have six. Now I try and go for 95 more (laughing). No, I would like to get another two this year, so maybe five or six for this year. I don’t know who has won the most (for Dutch riders); I mean I think Kees Van Der Ven has 18 or something, so I am closing the gap quickly.