Red Bull KTM Factory Racing icon Jeffrey Herlings is working towards a competitive return to motocross action and through the final stages of rehabilitation after surgery to repair a torn right ACL.
The five-times world champion and most successful Grand Prix winner in FIM Motocross World Championship history is coming closer to his goal of being able to ride, test and get back into MXGP shape for 2025. 30-year-old Herlings underwent an operation to fix the right knee injury, which he sustained in the sand of Valkenswaard in October 2024 and after a strong campaign in which he completed the 20-round season with 3rd in the standings and with 4 GP wins and 15 podium finishes.
Since the medical procedure the Dutchman (Red Bull KTM’s longest serving racer after joining the factory MXGP team in 2010) has been following the rehab steps and is now just a few weeks away from being able to ride his 2025 KTM 450 SX-F.
Herlings will not be able to join the rest of his team for the season-opening Grand Prix of Argentina on 2-3 March but will then assess his pace and progress until he is ready to enter the MXGP start gate once more for his eighth attempt at the class and his sixteenth year as a world championship athlete.
Jeffrey Herlings: “We’re looking good. I can do everything aside from ride the bike. I can cycle, swim, cross train – and it should only be a few weeks until we are back to the normal plan. 2024 wasn’t a great season but it was decent; we’d made a lot of races, came close to the MXGP championship, won a few GPs and had something like 15 podiums at the end. I wanted to be strong coming into this year so having this setback was not good but what I can hope for now is a successful second part of the championship. It was a weird injury because there was not much pain after surgery but it takes time to recover. I want to ride as soon as possible and join the rest of my Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team… but we just need to wait a little longer. I really want to race again.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Tom Vialle has finished runner-up in the 250SMX Class of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) following the final round at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Vialle qualified fifth on the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION and put himself in good position during Moto 1, taking the checkered flag in third position. The two-time MX2 World Champion and this year's AMA Supercross 250SX East Champion was challenging for the lead in the final encounter when he went down, managing to remount for a P8 result. Those finishes positioned the Frenchman fifth overall for the round, which in turn saw him captured second in the 250SMX World Championship for season 2024. Tom Vialle: "I'm pretty happy, the result was good this year, and we were strong across each series. I had a bad start in the first moto and then the second one was better, but I was really frustrated after the second moto because I was feeling really good before the crash. It was a little bit up and down this season, so now I look forward to the Nations and that will be a lot of fun next." Las Vegas started strongly for rookie teammate Julien Beaumer in qualifying second on the combined timesheets, but he was affected by poor track position across the two motos. After completing Lap 1 on 17th, he climbed to 11th in Moto 1, and then finished Moto 2 in ninth for P9 overall. He was seventh in the final 250SMX standings. Julien Beaumer: "Tough night! My riding was really good, I just didn't execute the starts, and on a track like this you need that track position early because it's hard to pass. It's been a good year, we made some big steps as a rookie, and the plan is to be up front next year." Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Aaron Plessinger was a picture of consistency tonight in the 450SMX class. After qualifying his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION in P9, The Cowboy went 4-4 for fourth overall in Las Vegas, which also placed him P4 in the SuperMotocross World Championship for 2024. Aaron Plessinger: "Vegas was a really good. I was comfortable on the bike from the start and I had a really good start in the first one, ended up getting fourth in that, so I was pumped. Second moto, I rode really good again, and went fourth again, so after the last two weeks I will take that, for sure. We also moved to fourth in the points, so it was a good way to end the season like that." After entering the SMX Final in contention for the 450SMX title, reigning AMA Pro Motocross 450MX Champion Chase Sexton's chances unfortunately ended prematurely on the opening lap of Moto 1 tonight. The Red Bull KTM rider came together with another rider and injured his right hand, which ruled him out for the remainder of the evening. After finishing third in the AMA Supercross 450SX Championship and dominating the outdoors, Chase was placed seventh in the final SMX standings. An update on the extent of his injury will be made available after he undergoes further medical evaluations. Results 450SMX Class – SMX Final 1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda 2. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda 3. Eli Tomac (USA), Yamaha 4. Aaron Plessinger (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 8. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS 22. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Husqvarna 23. Christian Craig (USA), Husqvarna 24. Chase Sexton (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Standings 450SMX Class 2024 after 3 of 3 rounds 1. Jett Lawrence, 156 points 2. Hunter Lawrence, 156 3. Eli Tomac, 129 4. Aaron Plessinger, 116 7. Chase Sexton, 89 9. Justin Barcia, 75 17. Malcolm Stewart, 48 20. Christian Craig, 34 Results 250SMX Class – SMX Final 1. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS 2. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha 3. Jordon Smith (USA), Yamaha 5. Tom Vialle (FRA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 9. Julien Beaumer (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 11. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS Standings 250SMX Class 2024 after 3 of 3 rounds 1. Haiden Deegan, 166 points 2. Tom Vialle, 132 3. Pierce Brown, 131 7. Julien Beaumer, 108 11. Ryder DiFrancesco, 72 16. RJ Hampshire, 36 28. Casey Cochran, 4
