When Ken Roczen and Jeffrey Herlings came out of the junior ranks way back nearly 12 years ago in 2009, we all knew something special was happening, but what we didn’t expect was the drama their careers have had. Both, seemingly at their peak of their winning, cut down by career changing injuries. But now, it is time to take what they both feel is theirs and with their fitness in check, anything is possible.

Back in 2009, Roczen missed the first four rounds of the MX2 championship but was still able to finish fifth in the World and won his first ever GP with a 2-2 performance at the German GP, and Jeffrey Herlings, who made his pro-debut at the 2009 MXoN in Italy, finishing seventh in the MX2 qualification race, then scoring 37-20 scores in the two MX2 races for 14^th overall in the MX2 class.

Now, here we are in 2021, both in the prime of their careers, both having sufferer horrible injuries, and if Roczen can win the 2021 AMA supercross championship, both with four major titles each. When I talk major titles, I talk the MXGP and MX2 championships and the AMA 250 and 450 motocross championship and the 450 supercross championship.

As we speak, Herlings has three MX2 championship and an MXGP title, and Roczen has an MX2 championship and two AMA 450 motocross championships. While both are already in legendary status, injuries stopped these guys from becoming the best of all time, and their talent 100% should have given them that.

When Roczen won his second AMA 450 championship in 2016, to go with his 2011 MX2 title and 2014 AMA 450 motocross championship everyone in the sport was expecting him to take over. Rewarded as the motocross and supercross rookie of the year in 2014, his first on the 450 nobody could have seen that injury coming. He finished third in the supercross and won the motocross championship, and his confidence was sky high, but as our sport does, it also brings people to their knees.

Soon after picking up that 2016 AMA motocross championship his career nosedived with an arm injury in 2017 that saw him miss the rest of the Indoor series and the complete outdoor series and didn't see him back until 2018.

He fought back to finish 3-2-4-3 in the two outdoor championships and two supercross championships, but he lacked something, he was riding with limitations and it was clear his arm would never be the same.

What we forgot to mention about this kid from Germany wasn’t that he was just talented, but he has a huge desire, and that desire saw him change his style, and learn to ride under different circumstances. Now, as we reach close to the half-way point in the 2021 AMA supercross championship, he is winning again, and looking likely to be the favourite to add an indoor title to his three motocross championships.

The story of Jeffrey Herlings is very similar to that of Roczen. While “The Bullet” hasn’t had as bad an injury as Roczen had in 2017, he has had his share and in 2019, just after winning his final World championship and like Roczen in 2016 he was peaking and looking unbeatable, he suffered a foot injury that has had him riding limited ever since. Despite winning his first MXGP championship in 2018, he hasn’t looked the same rider who dominated, winning 17 of 20 GPs and owning the World in motocross.

More injuries in 2019 and 2020 have seen him struggle to add to his destiny, but now fully fit, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him add World motocross championship number five to his already impressive list of wins, and with 90 GP wins to his name, he might just beat Stefan Everts record of 101 GP wins in 2021. My gut feeling is, he will do just that.

I don’t want to put any pressure on the Dutchman, but a fifth World title and another 11 GP wins this year would 100% place him just behind Stefan Everts and Antonio Cairoli in my all-time GP list. He will be a title down on Joel Roberts (who has 6 250 titles), but Robert rode in the easier 250 class in his prime and scored 50 GP wins. To me, Herlings stats are already close to the great Belgian rider and a good 2021 will see him move into third place on the all-time list in my opinion.

As for Roczen, if he can take the 2021 AMA supercross championship and continue the momentum, a fifth title (in motocross) could follow his fourth rather quickly and then, both Roczen and Herlings would both have five major AMA or FIM titles to their names. 

As mentioned earlier, in the middle of their primes, we might not have seen the best of these two, and I for one would love to see them race up the all-time winners list for our sport. Bring on the rest of 2021 and let’s see some history being made.

Ray Archer and Simon Cudby images